Just Medicine 2. BMI is not what you think it is: Health At Every Size
Feb 9, 2023
Dr. Katerina Wind, a family physician and recent graduate, explores the flaws of BMI and its impact on healthcare. She shares her personal journey from facing an eating disorder to embracing Health at Every Size principles. The conversation dives into the stigma patients experience due to weight biases and the misdiagnoses that can arise. Katerina advocates for weight-inclusive care, offering practical advice for practitioners to shift from weight-centric approaches, ultimately enhancing patient rapport and encouraging sustainable health practices.
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BMI Was Never Designed For Individual Health
- BMI was developed for population-level comparisons, not individual health assessment.
- Its cutoffs are arbitrary and have been used for insurance and policy, not evidence-based clinical thresholds.
Weight Has Complex, Multi-Generational Causes
- Weight is influenced by genetics, environment, and historical trauma like famine.
- Diet-focused weight loss is often unsustainable and can cause long-term weight gain and harm.
Weight Stigma Undermines Health Outcomes
- Weight stigma harms health by decreasing care-seeking and worsening behaviors.
- National guidelines now advise against using BMI as the sole gauge of healthy behaviour success.