As part of our Inclusive Language Series, we are introducing some terms and resources for you to learn more about this semester in an effort to create more inclusive communities. This week’s term is Body Mass Index, or BMI.
History
The Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a scale where a number is assigned based on weight compared to height that is used by many medical professionals today. BMI then further classifies individuals based on that number into different categories such as “underweight,” “normal,” “overweight,” etc. The scale is based on “average body composition” of “average, sedentary populations,” and does not account for muscle mass versus body fat, bone density, or other common variations of how large or small a body might be.
While the modern scale that is used today was first published in 1972, it is based on research as old as the time between 1830 and 1850. This early science was based on census data while the 1972 scale that is used today is based on a ratio measuring body “thickness or thinness” in response to “observed increasing obesity” in “prosperous Western nations.”
The Problem
Many criticize the BMI and its use in modern medicine for several factors. First of all, medical professionals today use the BMI on an individual level to help determine patient health and treatment plans. However, this is incredibly problematic—even the developer of the Body Mass Index admitted that the BMI was less effective at determining individual health and more representative of overall population trends in body size. As many body-positive, fat liberation, and Health At Every Size (HAES) activists have pointed out, the BMI does not provide any indicator of actual health or even body composition, it merely gives some idea of how thick a body might be compared to its height.
When medical professionals conflate fatness or thinness with health, this can affect the treatment patients receive and ultimately lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment. Related, there is also evidence that shows a clear bias against fat people in medical settings. The data shows that fat people are more likely to feel misunderstood by their providers, to have their symptoms attributed to their weight without any further investigation, and more likely to receive poor health outcomes due to mistreatment. Much of this is due to anti-fat bias in medical settings, even with providers that have the best of intentions, but also due to fat individuals avoiding the medical system due to said anti-fat bias. All of this comes back to the BMI and how it frames body size in the context of health.
Conclusion
Health is a complicated, multifaceted concept that is deeply personal and often very private. We have laws that protect health information, such as HIPPA, for that very reason. When medical professionals continue to use outdated, misinformed science when treating their patients, we see overall health and well-being decline. Symptoms are left untreated, conditions that may once have been easy to treat become much more serious, and sometimes patient concerns are left untreated at all.
Regardless of all of that, though, most individuals simply want to feel respected. BMI does not accurately reflect an individual’s health status, but health status also does not reflect the inherent worth and dignity in all of us. All people deserve to be treated kindly and respectfully, regardless of what one isolated piece of medical information might be. To learn more about BMI, the Body Positivity Movement, and Health At Every Size, please check out the resources below.
BMI:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/is-bmi-accurate
https://www.npr.org/2009/07/04/106268439/top-10-reasons-why-the-bmi-is-bogus
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/bmi-drawbacks-and-other-measurements
Body Positivity:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z2w7dp3
https://www.verywellmind.com/body-positive-influencers-4165953
Health At Every Size:
https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/health-at-every-size/
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/haes-accounts-instagram/1-mollybcounseling
Reflection:
- What have you learned about BMI? After reading this, what are your thoughts about BMI?
- How is your relationship to your body impacted by BMI?
- How does your size/weight contribute to your relationship to your body?
- What messages have you received about body size/weight? Where did they come from?
- What are some key points from the resources shared that you might wish to explore further as your relationship to your body continues to develop?
Upcoming Holidays and Observances
November
National Native American Heritage Month – which celebrates the history and contributions of Native Americans.
National Adoption Month – Adoptees, birth families, adoptive families and adoption professionals reflect on, educate and celebrate adoption practices.
11/19/2024: International Men’s Day – emphasizes the important issues affecting males, including male health issues, improving the relations between genders, highlighting the importance of male role models, and promoting gender equality. This holiday is celebrated in more than seventy countries.
11/20/2024: Transgender Day of Remembrance – established in 1998 to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia and raise awareness of the continued violence endured by the transgender community.
11/24/2024: Feast of Christ the King (Christian) – a Catholic holiday established to thank God for the gift of time and a rededication to the Christian faith.