Is body mass index outdated? Arizona doctor explains method that could replace BMI

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — There are growing calls to eliminate the body mass index, more commonly known as BMI. It was created nearly 200 years ago and is still used as a metric for healthiness, but critics are now advocating for its removal.

Some critics say the original formula is outdated and too quick to mark someone as obese, despite their health level. Now, some health leaders want to replace the traditional method with BRI, which stands for body roundness index.

Arizona’s Family spoke with Dr. Alexander Dydyk, director of weight loss and wellness at HealthyU Clinic. Dr. Dydyk says that currently BMI shows a person’s ratio between weight and height. For example, if someone is tall and thin, their BMI will be low. If someone’s a bit shorter and stockier, their BMI will be high.

Instead, advocates for BRI will take into consideration people’s waistlines.

“So if a higher BMI generally means someone might be a little bit unhealthier. But if we’re comparing that to BRI, which is body roundness index, we’re also taking into account someone’s waist circumference. And so if we’re measuring someone’s waistline, we get a lot of information from that. Because if someone has a larger waistline, we have also a lot more abdominal fat that’s around someone’s organs, and that can really, really increase someone’s risk for chronic disease,” Dr. Dydyk explained.

Dr. Dydyk said BRI is a better indicator for spotting chronic diseases.

“If we’re just accounting for someone’s weight and we’re looking at it from chronic disease, it’s much more troubling if someone has a 40-inch waistline than someone who is much thinner. And then we’re comparing the differences between someone who’s thinner, maybe has a larger waistline versus someone’s heavier with a smaller waistline, and those don’t line up,” he explained.

However, more longitudinal studies must be done before implementing BRI.

“So we’re looking and saying population health five years, 10 years, 20 years down the road. If we’re tracking and looking at someone’s waist circumference and saying, yeah, every time someone’s waist circumference and their BRI is going up, they’re increased risk for diabetes, people will pay attention quite a lot,” he said.

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