Body mass index, commonly referred to as BMI is a popular number used to figure out if somebody is at an unhealthy weight. But what may surprise you is that the amount of lean muscle and body fat are not a part of calculating the equation. It's for this reason that some experts don't put a lot of stock into an individual's BMI number. So, why is BMI a useful measurement for some and not others, and what is it anyway?
The BMI was formulated in the early part of the 1800s by Adolphe Quetelet. In fact, some people still refer to it as the Quetelet index. What it boils down to is comparing a person's height to their weight, and then seeing if the resulting number falls into a healthy range. The Body Mass Index is still used pretty much the same way today as it was in Quetelet's day.
The BMI was formulated in the early part of the 1800s by Adolphe Quetelet. In fact, some people still refer to it as the Quetelet index. What it boils down to is comparing a person's height to their weight, and then seeing if the resulting number falls into a healthy range. The Body Mass Index is still used pretty much the same way today as it was in Quetelet's day.
