February 10, 2025

43 | The Problematic Origins of BMI: Why This Health Metric Is Failing Us

31 minutes

Is BMI really an accurate measure of health, or is it an outdated tool rooted in inequality that is causing more harm than good?

In this episode 43 “The Problematic Origins of BMI: Why This Health Metric Is Failing Us” of the How to Fitness Podcast, we take a deep dive into the origins of the Body Mass Index (BMI), uncovering its surprising (and upsetting) history and the flawed way it’s used today. BMI was never meant to be a measure of individual health, yet it continues to impact medical care, insurance coverage, and even personal perceptions of health and self-worth.

BMI isn’t the full story when it comes to health. Tune in as we break down why it’s time to rethink how we define health and move toward more accurate, inclusive measures.

🟡TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction and Initial Reactions
00:47 Welcome to the How To Fitness Podcast
01:08 Diving into the Topic: BMI
02:06 The Racial Origins and History of BMI
07:52 The Insurance Industry's Influence
10:12 Modern Use and Misuse of BMI
13:42 BMI and Its Limitations
15:00 Personal Stories Highlighting BMI Issues
17:19 The Impact of BMI on Health and Insurance
19:05 Research and Criticisms of BMI
25:01 Alternative Metrics and Recommendations
26:17 Concluding Thoughts on BMI

🟡RESOURCES MENTIONED
📚 Books & Authors
*Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia* – Sabrina Strings
*All in Her Head* – Elizabeth Comen, MD

📊 Studies & Institutional Reports
- Research by Dr. Sabrina Strings – Examining BMI, race, and chronic illness.
- American Medical Association (AMA) Statement (2023) – Recognized BMI as a flawed and racially biased metric.
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) – Analyzed BMI and metabolic health across different racial groups.
- World Health Organization (WHO) & National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Recommendations for BMI cutoffs based on ethnicity.

🏛 Historical Figures & Influence on BMI
- Adolphe Quetelet – Belgian mathematician who created the original BMI formula.
- Charles Davenport – Eugenicist who used weight tables to make racialized claims about obesity.
- Donald Armstrong & Lewis Dublin (Metropolitan Life Insurance, 1951) – Published influential research linking weight and health risks.
- Ancel Keys (1972 Paper) – Popularized BMI as a screening tool for obesity.

🔗 For Further Reading
↗ https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-use-bmi-fetishizes-white-embodiment-and-racializes-fat-phobia/2023-07
↗ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/27/will-the-ozempic-era-change-how-we-think-about-being-fat-and-being-thin