Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 10 hrs ago
Cardiologist says BMI alone cannot show the full picture of health
Body mass index, or BMI, compares a person’s weight with their height and is often used to estimate health risks.
But cardiologist Dr Rahul Mehrotra says BMI cannot show the whole picture, even when it is in the normal range.
He recommends also paying attention to waist circumference, which can indicate abdominal fat.
Blood pressure, blood sugar and HbA1c tests, and cholesterol levels can reveal other risks.
Fitness, muscle strength and physical activity also give clues about how well the body functions.
These measures matter because health risks can be present even in people whose weight falls within a healthy range.
The advice is to consider these markers for a broader view of health and seek a doctor’s guidance about medical concerns.
Cardiologist Dr Rahul Mehrotra says BMI alone cannot provide a complete picture of a person’s health.
BMI estimates body fat using height and weight but does not measure abdominal fat, blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol.
Mehrotra identifies waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar and HbA1c, lipid profile, and fitness and muscle strength as additional health markers.
He says people with a normal BMI may still face metabolic risks or have unhealthy cholesterol levels.
- Who
- Cardiologist Dr Rahul Mehrotra, chief of non-invasive cardiology and clinical cardiology at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram.
- What
- He says BMI alone does not show the full picture of health and points to five additional health markers.
- When
- The article was published on 2026-10-12.
- Where
- The article was published by Hindustan Times; Mehrotra is at Artemis Hospital in Gurugram.
- Why
- BMI measures weight in relation to height but does not assess several other indicators of health.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
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- BMI
- Estimates body fat using height and weight
- Additional markers
- Waist circumference; blood pressure; blood sugar and HbA1c; lipid profile; fitness and muscle strength
- Doctor
- Dr Rahul Mehrotra
- Hospital
- Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
- Publication date
- 2026-10-12
What people are saying
BMI only measures weight in relation to height. It cannot tell you how much abdominal fat you carry, whether your blood pressure is elevated, or if your blood sugar and cholesterol levels are within a healthy range
A healthy BMI does not necessarily mean healthy cholesterol levels, particularly when diet, genetics and physical inactivity contribute to abnormal readings
The number on the weighing scale is only one part of the story. True health goes beyond weight. Paying attention to your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, waist circumference and physical fitness can help you better understand your metabolic and cardiovascular health. After all, looking healthy and being healthy are not always the same thing.
Sources
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