In a nutshell, no, it is not. According to registered dietician Ashley Jordan Ferira (2022), there are several metrics that are more meaningful when it comes to your overall health such as blood sugar, blood lipids, and inflammation levels. Even waist circumference and blood pressure are better measures of health than BMI which fails to calculate many factors such as your racial background and body composition. Don’t let that one little number, your BMI, do a number on your self-esteem.
That leads us to the crux of this blog: Whereas you care about your health and fitness level, you can’t let society’s standards-du-jour (as illustrated by hundreds of “influencers”) dictate how you feel about yourself. If you are like most people, you will carry a little more adipose tissue at some stages of life and a little more muscle at others. The BMI doesn’t distinguish between the two, even though your metabolic health might be dramatically different when you are leaner or fatter.
And, yes, we recognize the fact that a number like the BMI can have an inordinate amount of power over you, evoking guilt, shame, self-loathing, and a panoply of other negative emotions. For now, just let the BMI go. Focus on the ways you can contribute to your own good health, eating lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, and getting regular physical activity. Moving and eating well are two favors you can do yourself at every phase of life, that and good mental health. When you feel good, you look good!
Stop Losing and Win 