in Trending TikTok videosAmerican athlete Ilona Maher recently spoke out against body criticism and highlighted the limitations of body mass index (BMI) as a measure of health.
The U.S. women’s rugby team responded forcefully to a social media commenter’s derogatory comments about Maher’s BMI. The controversy began when the commenter speculated that Maher’s BMI was “30%.” (BMI is Not measured in percentages.
This has reignited the debate over whether BMI numbers do more harm than good.
“My BMI is 30. 29.3 to be exact,” Maher says in the video, explaining that of her 200 lbs, about 170 lbs is lean body mass.
The video has already been viewed 4.3 million times and liked by over 629,000 people, highlighting the flaws in using BMI as a health indicator.
What nutritionists say about Ilona Maher’s BMI video
We asked a few nutritionists for their reaction to the video. Here’s what they had to say:
- Stephanie NelsonMyFitnessPal Lead Nutrition Scientist and Registered Dietitian“Ilona was spot on! BMI doesn’t tell us anything about someone’s worth or capabilities, much less how healthy their body is.”
- Brooklyn WhiteRegistered Dietitian: “Yes, that’s right! BMI is calculated using height and weight. Because it only uses these two metrics, it doesn’t take into account muscle mass or body fat percentage, and therefore may not be a good indicator of obesity for athletes.”
- Daisy MercerRegistered Dietitian: “I love her so much. BMI is not the be-all and end-all and is not an accurate indicator of a person’s overall health. It’s more important to look at the bigger picture and recognize the differences in each of us in body size and activity levels that BMI can’t account for.”
Nutritionists tend to have the facts when it comes to the usefulness of BMI, and Maher said in the video that he’s discussed BMI with his own nutritionist, including details about what the number means and why it’s useful.
But if you’re still not entirely convinced, let’s take a closer look at what BMI actually is.
What is BMI?
BMI is a formula calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Originally developed It was used by statisticians in the 19th century to examine weight data at a population level rather than an individual level.
It was later adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Categorize individuals It is classified into categories such as underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obesity, and its usefulness has been widely debated.
Athletes like Maher often Being in the overweight or obese BMI categoryThanks to their impressive muscle mass. The main problem with BMI is that it doesn’t distinguish between muscle and fat.
“BMI simply compares height to weight and nothing more,” says Nelson. “BMI doesn’t take into account muscle mass and, by itself, says nothing about health, lifestyle or especially values. The primary utility of BMI is to correct for differences in height when assessing weight.”
that’s why, Observing large populations over time It checks whether weight is being gained or lost on average while correcting for height, but that doesn’t mean it should be applied at an individual level.
What should we focus on instead?
Don’t just rely on BMI, look at other indicators of health and fitness. Sport- and position-specific performance indicators are extremely important for athletes.
For most people, the following factors are more important to a complete picture of their health, according to Nelson:
- body fat percentage (Your doctor can measure this during your yearly physical!)
- Waist to Hip Ratio (You can take a tape measure every month to gauge the changes.)
- Overall food quality (By recording your meals you can get a more accurate picture of your eating habits. My Fitness Pal)
- Lifestyle habits (You can focus on improving sleep, increasing physical activity, and reducing stress)
- Physiological risk factors (Blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.)
“When it comes to preventing nutrition-related diseases, most experts Adipose tissue volume [or fat] “Over a long period of time, fat accumulates around the organs,” Nelson says. “This is visceral fat, or abdominal fat, that some people accumulate around the abdomen.
“Other indicators to look at include body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio,” says Nelson, “but it’s also important to consider your diet: Are you getting enough protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables and whole grains?”
This is another reason why tracking your food can be so helpful. Using an app like MyFitnessPal can give you useful insight into your protein and fiber intake.Download the app now for free!)
At the end of the viral video, Maher spoke directly to the onlookers, reminding us all that he is a top athlete performing on the world’s biggest stage.
This is a stark reminder that BMI says nothing about your capabilities. Understanding health cannot be reduced to a single number, whether that be BMI or the number on the scale.
“BMI is only a small piece of information, and people need to be aware of its limitations,” Nelson says.
