Macro partitioning
Fat Mass Index (FMI), calculated as fat mass divided by height squared, provides a more specific classification of obesity than Body Mass Index (BMI) because it isolates fat mass from lean tissue, thereby reducing misclassification of muscular individuals.
If you are muscular, your BMI might label you as obese even if you have low body fat. To get a true picture of your obesity risk, you need a body composition test (like DXA) to calculate your Fat Mass Index (FMI). This metric looks only at your fat mass relative to your height, ignoring your muscle, giving a more accurate assessment of health risk than weight alone.
These prevalence-matched FMI classifications should offer superior specificity because the index is based on fat mass, not body weight, which is composed of both fat and lean constituents.
Why this rating
Based on a large, nationally representative cross-sectional dataset (NHANES) with robust statistical modeling (LMS curves) and calibration against gold-standard methods.
Source
Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Body Composition Reference Values from NHANES
Thomas L. Kelly et al. · PLoS ONE · 2009
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →