Petition Ban the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of obesity by NHS

Set in 1830 by a non-medical mathematician and astronomer, BMI is an inaccurate measure of body fat content and does not take into account muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, racial and sex differences.

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There is an urgent need for accurate tools to measure fat and skeletal muscle, and biomarkers that can better predict the risks of diseases and mortality. Advances to improve the measurement of obesity and related factors will help determine the optimal weight for an individual, taking into account factors such as age, sex, genetics, fitness, pre-existing diseases, as well as novel blood markers and metabolic parameters altered by obesity. (Ahima and Lazar, Science, August 2013).

This petition closed early because of a General Election Find out more on the Petitions Committee website

8 signatures

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10,000

Date closed 6 November 2019
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