BMI has significant limitations in evaluating an individual’s body fatness as it does not take into account the distribution of body fat. It does not distinguish between fat, muscle, or bone density (6).
The below variables influence the interpretation of BMI:
• Two individuals with the same BMI can have different patterns of fat distribution and have different risk-levels of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
• Older adults have more body fat compared to younger adults with the same BMI.
• Women have higher amounts of body fat than men with the same BMI.
• Bodybuilders or highly trained athletes have a higher BMI because of their muscle weight.