Body mass index (BMI) and body composition analysis are the two metrics to evaluate an individual’s physical constitution. BMI has long been considered as a simple measure for identifying obesity, which can be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes and cardiometabolic disease like diabetes.
“While BMI is the conventional tool to categorize individuals based on their weight relative to height, it fails to consider vital factors that may profoundly affect the overall fitness and heart health of an individual. In this context, the body composition analysis can be considered as an excellent instrument for evaluating general health and risk factors, as it offers an in-depth and individualized analysis,” By Dr. Anjan Siotia, Director of Cardiology, BM Birla Heart Hospital told Financial Express.com.
One of the primary limitations of the BMI is its inability to distinguish between the fat mass and the lean muscle mass. People with normal BMI can have excessive internal fat deposits and be prone to major heart-related problems – a condition commonly referred to as the thin-fat paradox or obesity. People are considered thin-fat, if there are presence of potentially dangerous internal fat deposits, particularly visceral fats, which can pose significant cardiovascular risks.
These fats, also known as toxic fats, stored around internal organs of the body like the heart, liver, and intestine, are more harmful than subcutaneous fats for producing toxic substances like chemicals and hormones than subcutaneous fats.
“Biochemicals produced by the visceral fat surrounding the heart disrupt its electrical activity to cause atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation results in a disordered heart rhythm, and thereby causing insufficient circulation of fresh blood with very limited activities daily. A risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation is an elevated BMI. However, when such fat is encircling the heart, its toxicity in producing harmful substances from the released fat causes greater structural and electrical disruptions,” he explained.
Dr Siotia also said that contrary to the BMI, the analysis of body composition is a comprehensive and multidimensional technique for monitoring one’s health and provides an extensive and precise evaluation of a person’s physical appearance.
“The body composition analysis takes into consideration various factors like fat mass, lean muscle mass, and bone mass – making it crucial for identifying health risks like cardiovascular conditions, which are associated with excess body fat. The body composition assessment can be a perfect tool to identify whether an individual is having normal weight obesity,” he said.
Without body composition analysis and risk assessment, it can be difficult to find underlying risk for health issues in thin-fat individuals. While BMI is insufficient to evaluate the distribution of body fat, the body composition assessment provides an in-depth analysis of the percentage and distribution of fat, making it suitable for identifying risk for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The analysis can also be used to find out whether an individual is having higher muscle mass, which have been associated with lower risks of cardiovascular events.
Body composition analysis is a method of assessing overall health and risks by analyzing fat mass, lean muscle mass, and bone mass. This helps identify health risks associated with excessive body fat or muscle mass deficiencies, aiding in fitness goals and efficient treatment of health conditions like heart diseases.
However, although body composition analysis provides more complete information about the state of health, it is very important to note that it should not be regarded as a complete replacement for BMI.
“Instead, both measurements must be used in parallel to conjunction, with BMI being used as an overall screening tool, while body composition assessment delivers the most precise and customized assessment,” he added.