The Listener
  • The Listener home
  • The Listener E-edition
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Health & nutrition
  • Arts & Culture
  • New Zealand
  • World
  • Consumer tech & enterprise
  • Food & drink

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • New Zealand
  • World
  • Health & nutrition
  • Consumer tech & enterprise
  • Art & culture
  • Food & drink
  • Entertainment
  • Books
  • Life

More

  • The Listener E-edition
  • The Listener on Facebook
  • The Listener on Instagram
  • The Listener on X

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Listener / Health

Missing the mark: Why using BMI is outdated

Nicky Pellegrino
By Nicky Pellegrino
Health writer·New Zealand Listener·
13 Oct, 2023 11:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

“The BMI is terrible at predicting whether people are going to get sick and die.” Photo / Getty Images

“The BMI is terrible at predicting whether people are going to get sick and die.” Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
'Feels like discrimination': Musician denied entry to Auckland bar over facial tattoos
New Zealand

'Feels like discrimination': Musician denied entry to Auckland bar over facial tattoos

16 May 05:06 AM
Four Kiwi scenarios that could use comedian Nathan Fielder's rehearsal treatment
Opinion

Four Kiwi scenarios that could use comedian Nathan Fielder's rehearsal treatment

16 May 05:00 AM
Entertainment figure takes name suppression case to Supreme Court
Rotorua Daily Post

Entertainment figure takes name suppression case to Supreme Court

16 May 05:00 AM
Youth worker and brother of ex-MP found guilty of historical child sexual abuse
Crime

Youth worker and brother of ex-MP found guilty of historical child sexual abuse

16 May 04:41 AM
Peters and Jones reopen $127m railway workshops amid protests and political jabs
New Zealand

Peters and Jones reopen $127m railway workshops amid protests and political jabs

16 May 04:37 AM

Latest from The Listener

LISTENER
Body Mass Index is not just a medical issue; it’s a political one

Body Mass Index is not just a medical issue; it’s a political one

14 May 06:00 PM

Why it’s time to move beyond BMI and our national fixation on thinness.

LISTENER
Jane Clifton: Citizenship-for-investment all the rage but now facing a legal slap down

Jane Clifton: Citizenship-for-investment all the rage but now facing a legal slap down

15 May 06:00 PM
LISTENER
Weekend wine guide: Experience counts for Greywacke winemakers

Weekend wine guide: Experience counts for Greywacke winemakers

15 May 06:00 PM
LISTENER
Greg Dixon’s Another Kind of Politics: Shock new law makes Nicola Willis “Feminist of the Year”

Greg Dixon’s Another Kind of Politics: Shock new law makes Nicola Willis “Feminist of the Year”

15 May 06:00 PM
LISTENER
Book of the day: We’re Not Us Without You by Christine Keighery

Book of the day: We’re Not Us Without You by Christine Keighery

15 May 06:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Contact NZ Herald
  • Help & support
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
NZ Listener
  • NZ Listener e-edition
  • Contact Listener Editorial
  • Advertising with NZ Listener
  • Manage your Listener subscription
  • Subscribe to NZ Listener digital
  • Subscribe to NZ Listener
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotion and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • NZ Listener
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search