BMI and body fat percentage are two different measures of health and fitness. A person’s body mass index (BMI) is calculated by dividing their weight by their height squared. Body fat percentage is the proportion of fat to total body mass. To determine body fat percentage, a person must take a measurement, such as a caliper skin fold test, underwater weighing, or a DEXA scan.
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BMI
BMI is a widely used measure of health and fitness, and gives an indication of whether someone is underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. It is simple to calculate and does not require any special tests or equipment. While BMI can be useful for screening a population for health risks, it should not be used to assess health of an individual, as it does not take into account body composition.
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage better indicates health and fitness, as it takes into account a person’s body composition. It is also helpful for tracking changes in body composition over time. However, body fat percentage requires specialized tests and equipment, and is more expensive to measure than BMI. For this reason, it is not widely used as an indicator of health.
Which Is Better for Health and Fitness?
BMI and body fat percentage both provide valuable information about a person’s health and fitness. BMI is a quick and easy screening tool to assess a person’s overall status, but it does not take into account body composition. Body fat percentage is more accurate, but it is not widely used due to its cost and complexity. Ultimately, it is best to consider both measures in order to get a complete picture of a person’s health and fitness.
“What is the difference between BMI and body fat percentage?”
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a calculation that uses a person’s height and weight to estimate total body fat. Body fat percentage is a more precise measure of the amount of fat in the body, based on a measurement of the ratio of fat to lean tissue in the body. Body fat percentage is typically assessed through specialized tests such as bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), skin calipers and underwater weighing.
