Rejuvalife Vitality Institute
Beverly Hills CA

Move Over BMI, Here Comes BCA

The Body Mass Index can't distinguish lean body mass from fat weight, therefore very muscular people have BMI scores of the morbidly obese. (image: How Things Work 2005)

Invented in the mid 19th century, the Body Mass Index, or BMI, is currently the most widely-used diagnostic tool for gauging whether a person is at a healthy weight, under or overweight, and is reached through a calculation of height and weight measurements.

A person’s BMI is a very simple indicator of a person’s “fatness” or “thinness” that when used as designed, allows doctors to more objectively discuss weight issues with their patients.  Using this calculation, doctors use an individual’s particular BMI to determine whether or not they need medical care for being over or underweight: a BMI of 18.5 to 25 usually indicates optimal weight, a BMI lower than 18.5 suggests the person is underweight, while a number above 25 may indicate the person is overweight; a BMI below 17.5 may indicate the person has anorexia nervosa or a related disorder; a number above 30 suggests the person is obese (over 40, morbidly obese).

There is some controversy over the accuracy of this measurement, as it can’t distinguish body fat from lean body mass,  therefore a very muscular person will weigh more, and therefore have a higher BMI, even though he/she may really be quite lean,  and many feel it is most appropriately used in the study of populations, not individuals, for that reason.

There is another method of measurement that, according to recent studies, is a more reliable indicator. Body Composition Analysis (BCA) measures four parameters of health.

The BCA for Weight Management helps us measure four parameters of health:
1. Body Hydration Status by measuring the cellular fluid.
2. Cell Health Status by measuring the lean body mass and fat mass.
3, Nutritional Status through the BIA meter.  (Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer)
4. Longevity Status by calculating various indices.

From Medical News Today:

Recent studies using similar analysis suggest that up to 30% of obese people do not in fact require medical treatment. Widespread adoption of BCA could significantly improve the targeting of limited healthcare resources in the context of one of modern society’s global killers. Thanks to advances in imaging technology, variables – such as the body’s fat proportion, location and distribution and the size of fat cells and fat droplets within these cells – can now be factored into the health risk assessment.

Coupled with a better understanding of the interrelation between genes, environment, hormone levels and metabolism, BCA gives clinicians a clearer picture of the specific health risks to an individual.

In light of the growing evidence in favour of functional BCA, the authors conclude that “the definitions of both ‘overweight’ and ‘malnutrition’ should be reconsidered” by clinicians and researchers. Evidently, size does still matter but it’s what you do with it that really counts.

One way to ensure that you are at “optimal weight” regardless of how it’s measured is to…yep, stay active, eat a healthy diet, and keep your soup clean!

Thanks for reading,

Andre Berger, M.D.

p.s. Full disclosure – we have been using the BCA for Weight Management at Rejuvalife for quite some time. Give us a call if you’re interested in being measured!

Associated posts:

Keeping Your Soup Clean: Questions and Answers About Diagnostic Testing

Obesity Shrinks Your Brain & Shortens Your Life

Insulin Resistance Improved with Exercise

Weight Loss Improves Mood in Depressed Individuals

FDA Cracking Down on Misleading Nutrition Labels

News & Research on Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's Disease Currently Has No Cure

I posted several entries about Alzheimer’s Disease in the last few months, and discussed risk factors and prevention.  You can read those posts here,  here, here and here, but in a nutshell, I talked about how your genetic risk for developing diseases like Alzheimer’s is based partially on genetics – about 70% – and the rest on “the soup” those genes are swimming in. “Cleaning up your soup”, i.e. maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle with good nutrition, adequate exercise and mental stimulation, are the keys to reducing your risk, and there are diagnostic tests available to gauge your propensity for developing Alzheimer’s or other diseases.

The genetic part of that equation was bolstered by new research that discovered new genes directly related to Alzheimer’s Disease. This new information will eventually help unlock the secrets to treating that debilitating and heartbreaking disease.

From

The first new genes tied to Alzheimer’s disease in a decade have been identified by European scientists, adding insight into the biology of the most common cause of dementia and potentially leading to treatments.

The studies, published yesterday in the journal Nature Genetics, may one day help speed creation of therapies for a malady that progressively destroys brain cells and affects 30 million people worldwide, the investigators said during a Sept. 4 news conference. Doctors already know that as much as 80 percent of a person’s chance of having Alzheimer’s is inherited.

(More – Link)

A different study of Alzheimer’s recently discovered that even a mild cold or infection can have a drastic effect on sufferers of the disease:

From 

Common infections, like colds and upset stomachs, may make memory loss more rapid in people with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found. It may be that infections cause inflammation in the body, which speeds up the damage caused by Alzheimer’s. However, another explanation for the link is that people with worsening Alzheimer’s are more vulnerable to infections.

(More – Link)

And in a third study, Australian researchers discovered that those who eat a diet high in saturated fats are at a higher risk for developing the disease.

From Australian Broadcasting Company:

Australian researchers believe they have discovered why foods high in saturated fat increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from Curtin University of Technology in Perth found that saturated dietary fat damages the lining of blood vessels in the brains of mice, allowing a protein called amyloid to enter the brain.

The study, to be published in the British Journal of Nutrition, is one of the first to demonstrate a scientific link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease. (More – Link)

For more information on how you can keep your “soup” clean, I’ve included my recent video on the subject.

Additional reading on Alzheimers:

One – Alzheimer’s Part 1 – Risk Factors

Two – Alzheimer’s Part 2 – Preventative Measures

Three – Cholesterol Levels Tied to Risk for Dementia

Four – Diagnostic Testing

Thanks for reading,

Andre Berger, M.D.