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BMI and Pregnancy: Why Pre-Pregnancy BMI Matters and "Current BMI" During Pregnancy Doesn't Mean What You'd Think

BMI and Pregnancy: Why Pre-Pregnancy BMI Matters and "Current BMI" During Pregnancy Doesn't Mean What You'd Think

A pregnant person's BMI increases throughout pregnancy simply because of the pregnancy itself — applying standard BMI categories to this changing number would be meaningless. Here's why clinical weight-gain guidance uses pre-pregnancy BMI as a fixed reference point instead, why "total weight gain from that reference point" is the relevant question rather than "current BMI category," and how postpartum BMI takes time to become meaningful again.

Jun 13, 2026
BMI and Ethnicity: Why the WHO Recommends Lower Thresholds for Asian Populations

BMI and Ethnicity: Why the WHO Recommends Lower Thresholds for Asian Populations

A BMI of 24 is "normal" by standard categories but already represents "increased risk" under WHO's Asian-specific BMI cut-offs (23 for overweight, 27.5 for obese). Here's why these adjustments exist, the body composition research behind them, UK NICE guidance for multiple ethnic groups, and why waist circumference complements BMI across populations.

Jun 13, 2026
Why BMI Is Flawed — And What to Use Alongside It

Why BMI Is Flawed — And What to Use Alongside It

BMI is a useful population-level tool that's routinely misapplied to individuals. Here's what it genuinely measures, where it fails, and which complementary measures give a more accurate picture of metabolic health.

Jun 8, 2026