Waist circumference rather than BMI best indicator for obesity risk in surgery

Waist circumference rather than BMI is the
best indicator for obesity risk in surgery.
The high risk 'apple belly' profile is best
picked up by measuring the waist.

by Anne Crawford

BMI (body mass index), a widely used measure of “healthy” weight and of obesity, has been the subject of controversy for some years, criticised as a flawed concept that doesn’t distinguish between weight from body fat and weight from muscle or bone, among other matters.

The concept was put to the test – and found inferior – as part of a major clinical study of almost 3000 people led by Central Clinical School’s Professor Paul Myles. Professor Myles is the Director of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The Alfred and Monash University.

Researchers call for new standard to measure obesity risks in surgery

“The most important factor is not how much
body fat you have but where it is”. Central
obesity, or the 'apple belly' creates high risk.

by Anne Crawford

Monash University and Alfred Hospital researchers are conducting research that challenges the popular way of measuring obesity – using Body Mass Index (BMI) – as a perioperative risk.

Professor Paul Myles, Director of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at Alfred Health and Monash University, recently co-wrote an editorial in the leading British Journal of Anaesthesia that questions the use of BMI as a measurement indicating risk and which calls for a better approach. BMI is body weight in kilograms, divided by the square of height in metres.

Odd spot: BMI Visualiser - scary!

This German site allows you to both calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) and visualize your 3D body shape. The rendering of the topography is pretty ugly but the idea is interesting, and will approximately answer these questions:

• How is BMI related to body shape?
• What would I look like if I lost or gained weight?

http://bmijs.is.tuebingen.mpg.de/