More precise than BMI

What the “BRI” reveals about your body weight

The BMI is controversial, the BRI could be better suited to calculating body weight.

(Bild: ©Viktoriia - stock.adobe.com)

Body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared: calculating the body mass index, or BMI for short, has been the standard method for classifying body weight since the 1980s. The higher the BMI, the (over)weightier a person is. However, the calculation method has its weaknesses. Why, and why you should use the "BRI" instead - Krone+ tells you.

It comes up at the latest during the annual check-up with your GP: the BMI roughly divides people into underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal (18.5-25) and overweight (25-30) to obese (>30) - i.e. morbidly obese. The latter is the rule rather than the exception in Austria: according to the latest figures from the Adipositas Alliance and the Austrian Health Insurance Fund in February, 41% of men and 27% of women in Austria are overweight, while 18% and 15% respectively are obese.

A third of children are already overweight or obese
However, the problem already starts with the youngest: more than 31% of boys and 29% of girls aged nine are already overweight or obese, which, according to ÖGK Deputy Chairman Andreas Huss, "leads to many secondary diseases and reduced quality of life early in life".

Stigmatization and psychological consequences are often accompanied by secondary diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, increased blood pressure, increased blood lipid levels, heart attacks, strokes or dementia.

41 percent of Austrians and 27 percent of Austrians are overweight.

(Bild: airborne77/stock.adobe.com)

Economic factor
This is ultimately also reflected in the economy and the healthcare system: OECD forecasts for Europe show that obesity will reduce Austria's GDP by an average of 2.5 percent per year between 2020 and 2050. This also includes indirect costs such as sick leave and early retirement.

Determining whether and to what extent a person is overweight is therefore not only relevant and important from a medical point of view. However, it is questionable whether the BMI is the right tool for this purpose.