BRI, a New Screening Method, Shows Promise in More Accurately Assessing Obesity and Health Risks
The Body Roundness Index (BRI) is emerging as a potentially more accurate alternative to the traditional Body Mass Index (BMI) for assessing obesity and its associated health risks. Unlike BMI, which uses weight and height, BRI focuses on waist circumference and height to estimate overall body fat, specifically targeting visceral fat—the fat surrounding internal organs.
A recent study published in Jama Network Open in June 2024 examined BRI measurements from over 33,000 individuals over 20 years. The findings revealed that a higher BRI is more strongly linked to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and even certain cancers, compared to BMI. This is particularly important because abdominal fat, especially visceral fat, is known to be a key factor in diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
BMI has long been the standard tool used to categorize people as underweight, overweight, or obese, but it has been widely criticized for not accurately reflecting body fat distribution. BRI, by focusing on waist circumference, provides a clearer picture of obesity-related risks and could become a more reliable method in the future for identifying individuals at risk for chronic conditions.
