Body Mass Index vs. body fat percentage: What works best?
Keep in mind that a healthy weight requires a healthy body composition. Designed as a statistical tool for studying populations rather than individuals, BMI should not be the only metric you should rely on to determine your fitness weight.
The American Society of Bariatric Physicians, which publishes studies about weight loss, defines obesity as a body-fat level of 25% and above for men and 30% and above for women. Thus, many people fall into the “obese” category, even though their BMI results do not classify them as obese.
When looking at body fat distribution, it is also important to define a particular type of fat, called visceral fat. Often called the “belly fat” because it is stored in the abdomen, an excess of visceral fat can be particularly dangerous, because it wraps around major organs like the kidneys, the liver, or the pancreas, and may create inflammation. Visceral fat is associated with the development of insulin resistance, the risk of coronary heart disease, and hypertension.
Using smart scales to measure your body fat percentage on a regular basis can provide more information about your body composition—crucial if you want to reach a healthy fitness zone.