There are calls for the Body Mass Index measurement, BMI for short, to be scrapped. Proponents for its abandonment argue that it is at best a poor predictor of overall health and wellbeing, while at worst may lead to poor body image, reduced self-esteem and the development of eating disorders. They advise doctors and anyone involved in healthcare should adopt a “health at every size approach”, to allow all individuals to access services irrespective of their BMI. At points, a significantly raised BMI has been a bar to certain elective procedures, due to data showing poorer outcomes and greater risk of complications. Conversely, patients above a certain BMI have been unable to rapidly access eating disorder services, their condition being not deemed severe enough to warrant urgent intervention.
DR ZAK UDDIN COLUMN: Is Body Mass Index outdated or just needs to be updated?
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A donor giving blood at one of the Welsh Blood Service s new regional donation hubs. Picture: Welsh Blood Service GP Dr Zak Uddin writes: WHILE the above may sound like common sense to some, or perhaps a touch trite to others, scientific evidence irrefutably demonstrates that simple acts of kindness, which need neither cost a lot of money, nor require vast amounts of time, can be as good for you as the person receiving your gesture. It is no longer uncommon for volunteers well into their eighth, ninth and remarkably even tenth decades to be regularly assisting local organisations, for no financial recompense whatsoever, yet with genuine smiles on their faces.