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Purpose: High rates of overweight and obesity that exist across the globe are a defining public health issue of our time, and it is critical to continue to promote optimal diet and physical activity behaviors in this context. Body mass index (BMI) is an assessment of body weight based on height and weight that is applied to measure health among adults. Historically, it has been a universally accepted tool for public health research, monitoring, and surveillance to measure track changes in weight status. BMI continues to be applied, but there is recent and growing dissent in its accuracy and application. 

Rationale: BMI is a simple formula to calculate – weight in kilograms divided by height in measures squared. For that reason, it is a cost-effective and widely used tool that has been used for tracking individual and population health. Yet, BMI has faced criticism for its application to diverse body types as a single measure. The essence of this debate is whether BMI should continue to be tracked. On one side of the debate, pro BMI, is exploring the potential, possibilities, and changes needed for BMI to continue to be a measure in the toolkit for health. On the opposing side is con BMI, which will defend the need to de-implement BMI as a measure of health. The pros and cons of measurement of BMI will be discussed given evidence to date. Ultimately, the debate will center on the nuances of BMI measurement and its potential implications for public health. This debate topic was derived from thinking around the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA’s) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program’s (GusNIP) National Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) as researchers and practitioners engaged in financial incentives research have deliberated about the value of BMI as an outcome measure. This debated will address BMI as a tool both in the United States and globally.

Objectives: 

1. Describe how BMI is used in public health research, monitoring, and surveillance, including as a measure alongside diet and physical activity interventions

2. Identify the benefits and challenges of BMI as a universal tool to track body mass.

3. Discuss concrete strategies to implement or de-implement BMI as a measure of health.

Interaction: Attendees will be able to ask questions and vote for a side of the debate that they agree with.

Speaker