BMI vs. Body Fat: Rethinking the Numbers That Define Health

For decades, Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used to assess health — but new research shows it may not tell the full story.

A recent study published in the Annals of Family Medicine found that body fat percentage (BF%) is a stronger predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than BMI. The findings reveal that nearly one in three people are misclassified when BMI is used alone, masking real health risks in those with normal weight but high body fat.

This new research brief from seca explores how body fat percentage outperforms BMI, why bioimpedance analysis (BIA) offers a more accurate and accessible measure of adiposity, and what this means for early detection and preventive care.

📊 Inside the brief:

• 15-year data comparing BMI, BF%, and waist circumference
• Why BF% predicts mortality more accurately
• Practical guidance for integrating BF% into clinical workflows