This Illustration Shows Why BMI May Be the Wrong Indicator of Health.
BMI is a widely used metric that should tell you if you are at a healthy weight or not. However, as this illustration, based on scans of real people, shows, BMI can be misleading.
All six people in the illustration are 5’9 ” tall and weigh 172 pounds, which means they have the same BMI or Body Mass Index (calculated by dividing your weight by your height). Technically, they would each be considered overweight based on their BMI of 25.4, but some of them apparently seem to be healthier than those with more abdominal fat, which has been associated with an increased risk of health problems .
As we mentioned earlier, BMI can be misleading. The New York Times explains that because BMI only affects height and weight, it doesn’t take into account muscle or bone density and where a person weighs. BMI can be a useful measurement if it is above 30, the obesity threshold, but in general, body fat percentage and body composition are more important indicators of health than weight alone.
Same BMI, completely different body on the beach | New York Times