Rethinking BMI and it’s truthfulness.

The BMI (Body Mass Index) is a simple mathematical formula designed in the 1800s by a Belgian statistician to describe the “average man” in order to help the government estimate obesity numbers among the general population. It was never intended to measure individuals, and it doesn’t account for a multitude of important factors such as:

• Muscle mass, bone density, or body composition

• Genetics, ethnicity, or life stage

• Health behaviours, stress, sleep, or access to care

• A person’s lived experience in their body

Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used for decades as a quick way to categorise bodies

based on height and weight. You’ve might have heard your GP mention it, or seen it on

medical letters, at the gym, or on health apps.

For many people, their first experience of BMI wasn’t in a medical setting, but at school. For

years, BMI measurements were used in most Australian school settings as part of health

monitoring. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the Australian Curriculum started to

replace unhelpful terminology such as BMI, weight, calories and diets with language around

“balanced nutrition”.

Schools no longer measure or report BMI because evidence showed it offered little benefit

and carried real risks– including increased body dissatisfaction, weight stigma, bullying, and

disordered eating behaviours in children and adolescents. Importantly, BMI screening did not

improve health outcomes, but it did impact how young people felt about their bodies and

prompted comparisons of weight with that of their peers.

The move away from BMI in schools reflects the importance of how children and young

people are educated about their bodies and what they eat, in a bid to prevent eating

disorders. The same applies to humans of all ages and backgrounds because BMI was never

designed as a single measure of health, as we believe it lacks nuance and accuracy.

Bodies naturally come in a wide range of shapes and sizes– and that diversity is beautiful, not a problem to be fixed. Two people can have the same BMI and vastly different health profiles.

One person can have a “higher” BMI and excellent metabolic health, while another with a

“lower” BMI may be struggling physically or mentally. This is why we work from a health-centered lens rather because weight-centred care has been shown to:

• Oversimplify complex health issues

• Lead to missed or delayed diagnoses

• Increase stigma, shame, and weight-based discrimination

• Encourage dieting behaviours that aren’t sustainable or supportive

For many people, being told their BMI is “too high” or “too low” isn’t motivating– it’s actually

distressing. It can disconnect people from their bodies rather than help them care for them. A

non-diet, health-inclusive approach shifts the focus away from weight and toward how

someone is actually feeling and functioning in their life.

BMI may still appear in medical settings, but it doesn’t have to be part of your health journey.

You’re allowed to question it, to opt out of weight-focused conversations, and to ask for care

that feels aligned with your values.

What's next?

Book in for a 10min zoom call and let us help!

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