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BMI is a good screening tool for health, but is it the best?

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Published  October 25, 2019 5:57pm EDT
Health Works Sponsored by Henry Ford Health Systems
FOX 2 Detroit

For FOX 2's Ryan Ermanni, who lost 30 pounds over the last two years, his weight loss story is an inspiring one.

But according to his current BMI measurement, he's still classified as obese. Down from 242 pounds in 2017 to 212 pounds in 2019, his BMI score is 30.

However, one health expert says there are so many other factors to consider.

"The bottom line is he's lost over 10 percent. He's reduced his diabetes risk by over 80 percent for several years," said Dr. Rifai. "Just maintain that beautiful piece of art and you will be in the winner's zone."

BMI is only of the measurement tools used for assessing health

BMI is okay as a screening tool, but you have to do other measurements as well. Those include cholesterol and blood pressure.

Doctors recommend other measurements to give you a bigger view of your overall health. That includes scans of blood pressure and cholesterol.