Interviewer: It's a simple test, but it can tell you a lot about your future health. Dr. Tom Miller, what can a person's BMI, or body mass index, tell you about a person's chance of developing certain diseases?
Dr. Miller: It is very useful and it's a quick and simple way to figure out if you're overweight, underweight, or even too low in weight. So people with an above-average BMI basically are more likely to have certain diseases that are common in our society, so high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart disease over a long period of time.
Interviewer: All right. But I've heard that it's not always accurate, especially, like, if I have a large amount of muscle mass.
Dr. Miller: That's true, but for the average person, it's a pretty darn good measurement and it's a good place to start. So if you have a higher-than-average BMI, you should take steps to lose that excess weight on your own or if your BMI is pretty high, you probably ought to see a nutritionist or a provider to get help to lose that weight.
updated: May 6, 2021
originally published: March 31, 2017
