The concept of Body Mass Index traces its origins to the early 19th century when Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, statistician, and astronomer, developed the Quetelet Index. Initially, this mathematical approach was part of a broader sociological study aimed at describing the “average man” and understanding population characteristics.
In the mid-20th century, researchers began recognizing the potential of this index as a health indicator. Epidemiological studies started exploring the relationship between body weight and various health risks, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers. By the 1970s and 1980s, medical researchers and public health organizations began adopting BMI as a standard screening tool.
The World Health Organization (WHO) played a crucial role in standardizing BMI categories globally. In 1995, the WHO officially endorsed BMI as a universal method for classifying weight status across different populations. This endorsement helped create consistent guidelines for assessing weight-related health risks internationally.
However, the scientific community continues to debate BMI’s effectiveness. Critics argue that the index fails to account for individual variations in body composition, muscle mass, bone density, and fat distribution. Despite these limitations, BMI remains a valuable initial screening tool due to its simplicity, low cost, and ease of calculation.
