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The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a standard screening measure used to assess body fat. It is calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height (m2 ). The BMI categories for weight status are: underweight = less than 18.5 kg/m2 ; normal weight = 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 ; overweight = 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 ; and obesity = greater than 30 kg/m2 .
Although widely used, BMI has some limitations. For example, BMI is unable to distinguish between lean and fat mass: a muscular athlete may have a high BMI because of extra lean mass and therefore might be miscategorized as obese; conversely, an individual with high amounts of body fat but low lean mass may be miscategorized as normal weight. BMI does not identify fat distribution, a significant factor in metabolic health risk. Additionally, BMI may not be equally valid across gender, races and ethnicities, and age groups. For example, Asians have higher percentage...