Body shape index

A body shape index (ABSI) is a metric for assessing the health implications of a given human body height, mass and waist circumference. The inclusion of the latter is believed to make the BSI a better indicator of risk of mortality from excess weight than the standard body mass index.^[1]^[2] ABSI correlates only slightly with height, weight and BMI, indicating that it is independent of other anthropometric variables in predicting mortality.

A criticism of BMI is that it does not distinguish between muscle and fat mass and so may be elevated in people with increased BMI due to muscle development rather than fat accumulation from overeating.^[3] A higher muscle mass may actually reduce the risk of premature death.^[4] A high ABSI appears to correspond to a higher proportion of central obesity, or abdominal fat.

According to the original article the formula for calculating aBSI is : $ABSI={WC \over {BMI^{2 \over 3}\times Height^{1 \over 2}}}$
Waist circumference and height measured in meters.

References

^ "Doctors expose BMI shortcomings". London Evening Standard. Evening Standard Limited. 2006-01-18. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
^ Krakauer, Nir Y.; Jesse C. Krakauer (2012-07-18). "A New Body Shape Index Predicts Mortality Hazard Independently of Body Mass Index". PLOS ONE. 7: e39504. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039504. PMC 3399847. PMID 22815707. Retrieved 2013-09-12.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
^ Nevill, Alan M.; Stewart, Arthur D.; Olds, Tim; Holder, Roger (2006-1). "Relationship between adiposity and body size reveals limitations of BMI". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 129 (1): 151–156. doi:10.1002/ajpa.20262. ISSN 0002-9483. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Bigaard, Janne; Frederiksen, Kirsten; Tjønneland, Anne; Thomsen, Birthe Lykke; Overvad, Kim; Heitmann, Berit Lillienthal; Sørensen, Thorkild I.A. (2004-7). "Body Fat and Fat-Free Mass and All-Cause Mortality". Obesity Research. 12 (7): 1042–1049. doi:10.1038/oby.2004.131. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Notes

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[1] "Doctors expose BMI shortcomings". London Evening Standard. Evening Standard Limited. 2006-01-18. Retrieved 2013-09-12.

[2] Krakauer, Nir Y.; Jesse C. Krakauer (2012-07-18). "A New Body Shape Index Predicts Mortality Hazard Independently of Body Mass Index". PLOS ONE. 7: e39504. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039504. PMC 3399847. PMID 22815707. Retrieved 2013-09-12.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)

[3] Nevill, Alan M.; Stewart, Arthur D.; Olds, Tim; Holder, Roger (2006-1). "Relationship between adiposity and body size reveals limitations of BMI". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 129 (1): 151–156. doi:10.1002/ajpa.20262. ISSN 0002-9483. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[4] Bigaard, Janne; Frederiksen, Kirsten; Tjønneland, Anne; Thomsen, Birthe Lykke; Overvad, Kim; Heitmann, Berit Lillienthal; Sørensen, Thorkild I.A. (2004-7). "Body Fat and Fat-Free Mass and All-Cause Mortality". Obesity Research. 12 (7): 1042–1049. doi:10.1038/oby.2004.131. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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