BMI is pretty terrible, right? Right. So what should you use instead? Body shape. Specifically, you can use a scale called A Body Shape Index, or ABSI. Want to know yours? Here you go.
According to a study published in PLOS One, body shape is much better at predicting mortality than BMI. Researchers analyzed data from 7,011 adults who participated in the Health and Lifestyle Survey conducted in the UK in the 1980s, and then a follow-up seven years later. The survey broadly represented region, employment status, age, and national origin. The researchers also used National Health Service records to identify deaths and cancer cases; 2,203 deaths were identified from their sample.
Then, it was a simple matter of comparing ABSI to BMI and predicting deaths, and researchers found that ABSI was a much stronger indicator of mortality amongst the population studied. It also outperformed other common mortality measures, including abdominal obesity, waist circumference, and waist-height ratio.
That said, you probably already know how unhealthy you are—so start an exercise regimen today. It improves and increases your life.
