We’re binning BMI for BRI – our scores say we’re obese but they’re wrong, we’re just curvy with hips and boobs
WHILE curvy or voluptuous are seen as compliments, no woman EVER wants to be described as “round”.
But scientists now suggest that measuring “roundness” might be the best way to assess our health.
A system called Body Roundness Index is being hailed as a method to better estimate your likelihood of weight-related disease than the controversial Body Mass Index, with doctors in the US and China starting to adopt it.
Obesity rates are rising in the UK, with many of us becoming rounder than ever.
While BMI only uses height, weight and ethnicity to create a score that falls within categories from severe thinness to very severely obese, BRI also takes into account hip and waist circumference, plus sex and age.
The result is shown as a round black line, plotted over a green egg-shaped “healthy zone”, to show where you fall.
It also works out your estimated body fat percentage and visceral adipose tissue — belly fat — with a range from one to 20.
Last month, the American Medical Association stated that BRI was as easy to use as BMI, but more accurate in assessing body composition and health risks.
We asked two women to brave the tape measure and share their vital statistics to see how the two evaluations compare . . .
‘I knew I was a little overweight but I was really surprised’
AS a curvy middle-aged mum, Paulomi Debnath admits she probably needs to lose a little weight round her tummy.
But she was shocked to be categorised as obese using the NHS BMI calculator, with a score of 29.8 based on a height of 5ft 5.5in and weight of 12st 12lb.
Her Indian ethnicity was also a factor, as the BMI cut-offs are lower if you have a South Asian background.
“I knew I was a little overweight but I was really surprised,” says Paulomi, 44, from Romford, Essex.
“I don’t normally care what the scales say and feel confident in how I look, so this feels like a cruel and impersonal way of assessing people.
“It’s fat-shaming and doesn’t seem to acknowledge your age or lifestyle.”
Paulomi, who is a size 14/16, loves to cook from scratch and avoids fried food, but does enjoy meals out once a week with her husband Avik, 44, and their 13-year-old son Ayush.
She says: “I’ve definitely put on a few pounds since hitting 40 and it’s much harder to lose them now, with all the hormone changes.
“Family and friends have commented on my weight, but as I’ve got older, I’ve become more at peace with my body. It doesn’t bother me like it once might have.
“I could definitely do more exercise — my main activity is walking — but I have wide hips like most Indian women and I wear a size 34GG bra.
“That’s just how I was built and that won’t change, no matter how much I go to the gym.”
After learning she had a 92cm waist and 116cm hips, Paulomi’s numbers were put into the BRI calculator, and the result was a pleasant surprise.
She was rated as 4.5, which is just inside the healthy zone, with 34 per cent body fat and 2.3 per cent belly fat.
“That feels more realistic for me,” says Paulomi, who has her own jewellery line Handmade by Tinni.
“I’m happy to call myself fat — I’m OK with that.
“I’m also happy to acknowledge I need to get a bit fitter and healthier.
“This assessment isn’t shaming, it’s more well-rounded and isn’t going to panic anyone into a crash diet, which I hate. Plus, my husband likes me this way and so does my son.
“He enjoys the fact that his mum is cuddly and I don’t want him growing up thinking all women should be the same skinny shape.”
‘This system feels fairer’
JOURNALIST Rosie Mullender says she has been “obsessive” about her BMI figure since putting on weight a few years ago.
At 5ft 4in tall and weighing 11st 5lb, she gets a score of 27.3, which is classed as overweight.
“My lifestyle has changed since my thirties,” says Rosie, 46, from Worthing, West Sussex.
“I moved away from London and work from home, so I eat what’s in the fridge instead of taking a healthy salad to the office.
“I’m also hanging around the house in comfy clothes rather than smart work outfits. I got a shock when I put my jeans on for the first time in two weeks.
“I was a size 8 before I met my boyfriend Don, 47, but being in a happy, contented relationship means I’ve eaten more pizza and am now a size 16.
“I joke that I have reverse body dysmorphia. When I’m dressed up to go out, I look in the mirror and think I look like a slim size 12. Then I see the photos later on and realise I’m much bigger than I used to be.
“I never used to avoid having my picture taken, but I’ve started shying away from the camera. My BMI weighs on my mind and I’m always aiming to get down to 10st 4lb, which would magically move me into the “normal” range.
“I’ve lost 5lb this year after taking up Zumba, walking more and reducing my portion sizes, but it’s slow going as I find it hard to avoid the foods I enjoy.”
Rosie found her BRI calculation much more reassuring, falling in the healthy green zone at 4.5, taking into account her 91cm waist and 104cm hips.
She was also estimated to have 33.2 per cent body fat and 2.6 per cent belly fat.
“I’m surprised as I haven’t got a nipped-in waist — I’m a classic apple shape with 38E boobs,” she says.
“I thought that would count against me under BRI.
“This system feels fairer, rather than saying you are a normal size at 24.9 and overweight at 25.
“I know I’m not completely unhealthy because I had some tests at the doctor’s this year and things like blood pressure all came back fine. It’s nice to know I am not doing everything wrong and not feeling the pressure to lose a full stone.”
- Additional reporting: Kirsten Jones
‘BMI is easy but may rank muscular people as obese’
DOCTORS are already moving away from BMI to assess the health risks of patients, says Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, lifestyle lead for the Royal College of General Physicians.
“We’ve always known it has limitations but for the majority of people, BMI is an easy way to know where they sit,” he says.
“What it doesn’t tell us is the composition of their weight. Very muscular people might be ranked as obese, and low-weight elderly people as healthy, even if they have age-related muscle wastage that has turned to fat.”
Last year the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advised clinicians to also use height-to-waist ratio, with patients advised to keep this under 0.5. “This is essentially what BRI is trying to incorporate,” says Dr Hussain.
“Central adiposity – or abdominal fat – measured by waist circumference is a crucial indicator.
“Ethnicity is important because South Asian and Middle Eastern people are more predisposed to this type of fat and its negative consequences.
“While BRI calculates body fat, it still can’t tell how it is distributed and the amount penetrating organs like the liver.
“These metrics are all guides and what really matters is ensuring you reduce your risks with exercise that includes strength training and a well-balanced diet with plenty of protein and limited ultra-processed foods and refined sugar.”