Body Roundness Index | BRI vs BMI

• Context (TH): BMI (Body Mass Index) might not be the best way to measure health risks anymore.
• Instead, the Body Roundness Index (BRI) is proving to be better at predicting health conditions. This change has led healthcare professionals to consider BRI as a possible replacement for BMI.

About BRI

• It was developed by U.S. mathematician Diana Thomas in 2013.
• It measures body roundness to assess health risks more accurately than the Body Mass Index (BMI).
• It incorporates waist circumference and height to estimate body fat percentage.
• Scores range from 1 to 15. Scores above 6.9 or below 3.41 indicate higher health risks.
• BRI provides a visual, egg-shaped outline with a green zone indicating the healthy range.

Source: WileyOnlineLibrary

Why BRI is Gaining Importance?

• Ethnic Variability: BMI was based on 19th-century European populations and is inadequate for certain ethnic groups. BRI accommodates differences in fat distribution across populations, especially Asians, who tend to accumulate more abdominal fat at lower BMIs.
• Accuracy of Fat Distribution: BRI aligns with body fat percentage and visceral fat levels, providing a more accurate picture of health risks than BMI.
• Limitations of BMI: BMI only measures weight relative to height and does not differentiate between muscle, fat, or water. It also does not show where fat is distributed in the body.
• Visceral Fat Indication: BRI includes waist circumference, offering a better indication of visceral fat (fat around internal organs) associated with cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndromes.

Health Risks Associated with BRI Scores

• Higher BRI Scores: Elevated scores suggest higher body fat, especially visceral fat, associated with diseases like Type 2 diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Metabolic syndromes (MetS).
• Low BRI Scores: Extremely low scores also carry risks, including malnutrition and related health issues.

Difference Between BRI and BMI

Aspect	Body Roundness Index (BRI)	Body Mass Index (BMI)
Definition	Measures body roundness to assess health risks	Estimates body fat based on weight and height
Developed By	Diana Thomas (2013)	Adolphe Quetelet (1830s)
Components	Waist circumference and height	Weight and height
Scoring Range	1 to 15	Varies (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese)
Health Risk Indicators	Scores above 6.9 or below 3.41 indicate higher risks	A higher BMI indicates higher health risks
Visual Representation	Egg-shaped outline with a green healthy range	No visual representation
Fat Distribution	Accounts for visceral fat around internal organs	Does not indicate fat distribution
Accuracy	Better indication of body fat percentage and visceral fat	Less accurate as it does not differentiate between fat, muscle, or water
Associated Health Risks	Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes	Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, but less specific
Calculation	Uses waist circumference and height	Weight (kg) / Height (m²)