BLA 144: Why BMI Is Outdated, and What To Use Instead
For decades, we've been told that BMI is the key to understanding our health, but what if this metric is fundamentally flawed? In this video, I break down why BMI might be giving you a misleading picture of your health, explore far more accurate tools like DEXA scans and the simple waist-to-height ratio, and explain why building and maintaining skeletal muscle is one of the most critical things you can do for your longevity. Let's move beyond the number on the scale and learn what truly matters for your health.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:44 - BMI Origins
01:28 - BMI Flaw #1: Fat vs Muscle
02:31 - BMI Flaw #2: Fat Distribution
03:18 - BMI Flaw #3: Lack of Diversity
04:10 - A Call To Change How We Use BMI
05:04 - Can You Have Obesity and Be Healthy?
06:13 - Understanding Fat Mass
07:16 - Lean Mass Components
08:16 - Measuring Body Composition: The 2 Compartment Method
09:05 - Measuring Body Composition: The 3 Compartment Method
10:13 - Measuring Body Composition: The 4 Compartment Method
11:05 - Measuring Body Composition: MRI and CT
12:10 - Measuring Body Composition: The DEXA
13:28 - Measuring Body Composition: Bioelectrical Impedance
14:48 - Measuring Body Composition: Skinfold Calipers
15:41 - Measuring Body Composition: Office Based Measurements
20:02 - Lean Mass: Your Metabolic Best Friend
21:20 - Muscle’s Importance for Bone Health and Frailty
22:07 - Muscle is an Endocrine Organ
22:56 - Recap: Why Muscle Is So Important
23:53 - Putting It All Together
25:26 - Key Ris Thresholds
26:26 - Advanced Metric Cutoffs
27:26 - What The Future Holds
SELECTED REFERENCES:
https://pmc-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.usu01.idm.oclc.org/articles/PMC7391719
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8399582/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45583395_Waist_Circumference_and_All-Cause_Mortality_in_a_Large_US_Cohort
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-30527-w
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2930234/
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/chronic-diseases/ama-use-bmi-alone-imperfect-clinical-measure
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7098708
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6366261/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6879776/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22106927/
*Disclaimer*
This podcast is for entertainment, education, and informational purposes only. The topics discussed should not solely be used to diagnose, treat , or prevent any condition. The information presented here was created with an evidence based approach, but you please keep in mind that science is always changing and at the time of listening to this there may some new data that makes this information incomplete or inaccurate. Always seek the advice of your personal physician or qualified health care provider for questions regarding any medical condition.
