You’ve seen the headlines, now hear the Full Story. Every weekday, join Guardian journalists for a deeper understanding of the news in Australia and beyond. You can support The Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story
Is it time to get rid of the BMI?
The body mass index, or BMI, is enthusiastically adopted in doctors’ rooms as a way to assess health, but its accuracy can be skewed by race, genetics and certain medical conditions. Some Australian experts say we need new tools to assess health – ones that don’t rely so much on weight.Science writer Donna Lu explores the complicated history of the BMI and the ‘panic about body weight’ in public health messaging