Body Mass Index and Other Alternative Measures to Better Evaluate Adolescent Health States and Fitness: A Literature Review
Abstract
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight to help determine general health and risks for health problems for people. Currently, it is the main method used by healthcare professionals to evaluate the health and fitness of patients due to its convenience, however, results tend to be biased, inaccurate, and culturally insensitive. BMI does not take into account certain health factors such as bone density and body composition. Medical professionals overlook these factors and inaccurately diagnose patients as obese, unfit, and at risk for health concerns that may be inaccurate. Such inaccuracies are especially detrimental to adolescents, as this is a crucial period of growth and development. The use of BMI results may lead to adolescents being diagnosed as overweight or obese. Misdiagnoses with outmoded instruments can lead to mistrust of medical care and concerns with body image, such as shame. We are conducting a review of the literature about BMI and other alternatives to measuring body composition and fitness. The importance of this review is to evaluate the alternative methods of determining the health and fitness of adolescents, as BMI is an outdated and inaccurate method of measurement. Using the PRISMA technique for this literature search, we are examining research findings on Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and how both measures can better determine adolescent health and fitness compared to BMI. Our review is currently in process.
Body Mass Index and Other Alternative Measures to Better Evaluate Adolescent Health States and Fitness: A Literature Review
CNS Atrium
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight to help determine general health and risks for health problems for people. Currently, it is the main method used by healthcare professionals to evaluate the health and fitness of patients due to its convenience, however, results tend to be biased, inaccurate, and culturally insensitive. BMI does not take into account certain health factors such as bone density and body composition. Medical professionals overlook these factors and inaccurately diagnose patients as obese, unfit, and at risk for health concerns that may be inaccurate. Such inaccuracies are especially detrimental to adolescents, as this is a crucial period of growth and development. The use of BMI results may lead to adolescents being diagnosed as overweight or obese. Misdiagnoses with outmoded instruments can lead to mistrust of medical care and concerns with body image, such as shame. We are conducting a review of the literature about BMI and other alternatives to measuring body composition and fitness. The importance of this review is to evaluate the alternative methods of determining the health and fitness of adolescents, as BMI is an outdated and inaccurate method of measurement. Using the PRISMA technique for this literature search, we are examining research findings on Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and how both measures can better determine adolescent health and fitness compared to BMI. Our review is currently in process.