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Ditch the BMI as Scale of Measurement, Says Documentary Maker

by Kathy Jones on Nov 19 2011 9:17 PM

 Ditch the BMI as Scale of Weight Measurement, Says Documentary Maker
American documentary maker Darryl Roberts has called on for the body mass index (BMI) to be ditched as a scale of measurement for weight and said that people should instead opt for healthy lifestyle even if they do not lose weight.
Roberts, who has recently filmed the second part of his “America The Beautiful” series, said that BMI was never intended to be used in measuring the weight of individuals.

Instead it was used to measure the average weight of an entire population and it was only recently that it has been used in measuring the average weight of an individual.

He also added that dieting companies have been manipulating BMI to get more customers. “In 1998, some of the scientific advisers of Weight Watchers went to the government and said, "Hey, you know what? The number that's used for the overweight category for BMI should be lowered." And the government did it. They lowered it. And when they lowered it, literally 25 million people became overweight, overnight. But guess what: Those are new customers now for the dieting industry”, he said.

Source-Medindia


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