Simple question, but need the answer

Calliope610
Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
edited January 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Is BMI (Body Mass Index) the same as BF% (Body Fat Percentage)? I see the two terms and although I assume they mean one and the same, I want to be sure. You know what happens when you "assume".

Thanks.

Replies

  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    No, not the same. Body mass index is a measure of your mass--weight in kg divided by height squared (in meters). If your mass is high, it's assumed that you have too much fat, but that's not always the case (muscle-heavy athletes will have a high BMI).

    Body fat percentage is just that--how much of your body is made up of fat.
  • lesspaul
    lesspaul Posts: 190 Member
    BMI is a rough (very rough) indicator of body fat percentage. For a population (large group of people) it is fairly representative. For an individual, it is only medically useful to identify people who are likely at risk.

    To know your approximate body-fat percentage requires caliper, immersion, or "bodpod" testing. Body-fat measuring bathroom scales are good for following body-fat trends, but are notoriously inaccurate.
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