My Daughter Was Labeled “Obese”: Where Do We Draw the Line?
Before I get into my story, let me just start by giving you the official definition of BMI. Simply said, BMI (or Body Mass Index) is a simple mathematical formula (or equation, if you will) used to calculate body fat based on height and weight. In other words, weight (in pounds), divided by height (in inches) squared, multiplied by 703 equals BMI. Here's a little history for you: BMI, also called the Quetelet index, was created by Adolphe Quetelet while developing what he called "social physics", between 1830 and 1850. BMI became popular around 1972, when the Journal of Chronic…