However, tall people tend to have narrower frames in relation to their heights than do short people, so that the most accurate exponent for populations as a whole has been found to be around 2.5. In fact, the exponent would be ‘3’ if tall people were proportionately larger than short people in all dimensions, as in that case weight would be proportional to height cubed. The exponent ‘2’ in the BMI formula is also somewhat arbitrary. For this reason it is not suitable for those who have developed significant muscle mass through training, such as professional athletes. It makes an assumption about the degree of body fat based on weight and height, but it is not able to discriminate between lean and adipose (fat) tissue. Example BMI Categories and Ranges: New Zealand EuropeanīMI is a proxy measurement for the ratio of body fat to total body mass, because it does not directly measure body fat. The KiwiCover BMI Calculator uses factors which take account of gender and ethnicity. ![]() For example, lower ranges are more appropriate for Asian populations compared to Caucasians, while higher ranges are more appropriate for Pacific Islanders. While the World Health Organisation officially recognises just one set of BMI categories and ranges for males and females of whatever nationality, it is well established that mortality and morbidity risks vary according to gender and ethnicity. Mortality risk increased sharply in people with a BMI over 30.0. For example, in a major US study 1 it was found that the lowest mortality risk for men occurred at a BMI of 23.5 to 24.9, while in women the lowest mortality risk occurred at a BMI of 22.0 to 23.4. Numerous studies have shown that increasing BMI values correlate with increasing risk of death and disease, particularly cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. ![]() The value of the Body Mass Index is in its ability to predict mortality and morbidity rates in populations. For example, a person who weighs 75 kilograms and is 1.75 metres tall has a BMI equal to 24.5 (75/(1.75 x 1.75) = 24.5).
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