Limitations of BMI

BMI has many limitations. It is a poor tracking tool for weight change because there is no way to identify if changes in your weight are in fat or muscle.

Because BMI does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass, it may overestimate body fat in athletes and others with a muscular build. It may also underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle.

BMI does not reflect the location or amount of body fat, and these factors can impact health.

Also, for adults, there are no racial, gender, or age-specific reference ranges for BMI making it less useful across different population groups.