Body mass index: why were doctors advised to use it in the first place?

Dr James King (PhD) Dr David Stensel Dr Dimitris Papamargaritis (PhD)

Body mass index has long been used by doctors as the standard method for measuring health — and often still is.

But earlier this month, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy that cautions medical professionals from using the body mass index (BMI) as a standalone clinical tool during patient consultations.