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Exploring the Validity of Body Mass Index (BMI) as a Health Indicator
BMI is a common health measure used to categorize individuals into normal, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese based on their weight and height ratio. However, the BMI calculation does not consider factors like muscle mass and body shape, leading to potential inaccuracies in determining overall health. The World Health Organization defines normal BMI as 20 to 25, and reports a rise in global adult obesity. The BMI was created by a Belgian astronomer named Adolf Kettle in the 19th century, focusing on population health rather than individual well-being. US health insurance companies later observed a correlation between extreme BMI values and higher mortality rates. The term 'body mass index' was popularized in 1972 by Harvard Physiologist Ansel Keys, who deemed it a reasonably effective measurement of obesity.