Three letters — BMI — have been part of our health vocabulary since the 19th century. BMI, or body mass index, now is a widely accepted way to measure the body fat of an adult based on their height and weight. But another three-letter term, BRI (body roundness index), may eventually overshadow BMI as a more precise gauge of someone’s weight and overall health.
BMI can determine whether you’re at a healthy weight or are underweight, overweight or obese. More importantly, this number can help reveal possible health risks among overweight or obese people, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
Many health professionals criticize BMI as an inaccurate method for measurement of body fat. According to Yale Medicine, one knock against BMI is that it was set up based on the bodies of non-Hispanic white men. Therefore, it might not deliver an accurate assessment for people in other gender, ethnicity, race and age categories.
BMI is so troubling, in fact, that the American Medical Association approved a policy in June 2023 urging doctors to stop depending solely on this index to figure out whether a patient is dangerously heavy.
“There are numerous concerns with the way BMI has been used to measure body fat and diagnose obesity, yet some physicians find it to be a helpful measure in certain scenarios,” Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., former president of the American Medical Association, said in 2023. “It is important for physicians to understand the benefits and limitations of using BMI in clinical settings to determine the best care for their patients.”
BRI, or body roundness index, may ease some of those concerns. BRI emerged in 2013 as an alternative to BMI.
What is BRI?
BRI is an abdominal obesity-related index that combines a person’s height, waist size and hip size to reflect the proportion of abdominal fat and belly fat, according to the American Heart Association and Harvard Health Publishing. (Belly fat, known as visceral fat, is located behind your abdominal wall.) In contrast, body mass index measures the relationship between height and weight.
The heart association says some health care professionals believe BRI pinpoints the proportion of body fat and belly fat more accurately than BMI does. Specifically, by removing weight from the equation, BRI “offers a better indicator of how much belly fat (visceral fat) surrounds the organs inside the abdomen. High amounts of belly fat are linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers,” says Harvard Health Publishing.
Although BMI often reflects a person’s body fat amount, it doesn’t take into account fat distribution or the amount of muscle mass, according to Harvard Health Publishing. “Muscle weighs more than fat, and BMI can overestimate body fat in people with a lot of muscle,” the publishing arm says.
What can BRI reveal about your health?
A healthy BRI generally falls below 10 on a scale of 1 to 20, according to Stamford Health. The higher the score, the rounder the body and the more at risk the person is for obesity and various diseases.
A study published in 2024 in the journal JAMA Open Network came up with “compelling evidence” that BRI could serve as a simple screening tool for estimating someone’s risk of death. The study adds that BRI is a “novel concept” that someday could be incorporated into public health practices.
According to the American Heart Association, research suggests BRI is a “valuable predictor” of cardiovascular disease risk and might help determine whether someone has insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
Sunset Hills Family Practice in Henderson, Nevada, says BRI “provides a more nuanced view of body shape and fat distribution.” However, the medical practice relies on both BRI and BMI calculations to provide a clearer picture of overall health. By combining these two measures, the practice says it “can identify potential health risks and develop personalized strategies to improve your well-being.”
At this time, health professionals generally don’t view BRI as a BMI substitute.
“We’ve had decades upon decades of studies indicating that higher BMI is tied to increased risk of health conditions,” registered dietitian Kimmie Sharp says in a Nebraska Medicine article. “We’d want more research to that end with BRI. It’s something I will keep my eye on and see what happens in the future.”
Pros and cons of BRI
Nebraska Medicine outlines three pros and three cons of using BRI.
Pros:
- Better assessment of muscle mass. “BMI often flags individuals with high muscle mass as overweight or obese, which can be misleading,” says Nebraska Medicine.
- Greater focus on fat around the midsection. This type of fat is a significant indicator of health risks, Nebraska Medicine says. “BRI targets this specific area, potentially offering a more accurate assessment of related health conditions.”
- Potential for better health assessments. Although BRI still needs to undergo more studies, “preliminary research suggests that it could provide a more accurate assessment of obesity and related health conditions compared to BMI,” says Nebraska Medicine.
Cons:
- More difficulty with measurements. Nebraska Health notes that BMI is easy to measure because it relies solely on someone’s height and weight. Meanwhile, since BRI requires waist measurements and hip measurements, it might take longer to complete a BRI assessment.
- Need for proper training: Accurate BRI calculations rely on precise waist and hip measurements, meaning health professionals must be adequately trained on BMI techniques. “Mismeasurements can lead to inaccurate assessments,” Nebraska Medicine warns.
- Concerns over terminology. Some people might be offended by the use of the term “roundness,” potentially causing lower BRI adoption.
How to calculate BRI
The formula for coming up with your BRI is a bit complicated. Therefore, it’s best to use an online BRI calculator to find out your index. To do so, you’ll need to enter data such as your height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference. Or rather than going down the DIY path, you can visit a health professional who’s knowledgeable about BRI.
Featured Products
