As a new year begins, many people set health and fitness goals. One common question that comes up is: should you focus on your body fat percentage or your body mass index (BMI)? Tools like https://fitnessrefined.com/bmi-calculator can help you quickly assess your BMI and understand where you stand. Claire Edgemon, a senior registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine, shares that both are useful, but they each offer different insights about your health.

BMI is a simple and widely used tool. It determines whether a person’s weight is within a healthy range by comparing their height and weight. A BMI below 25 is usually considered healthy, while a BMI above 30 is categorized as obese. However, BMI doesn’t take into account the actual makeup of your body—it doesn’t show how much of your weight is fat, muscle, or bone. So, using BMI alone might not always give the full picture of your health.

For example, someone could have a normal BMI but still have health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high blood sugar. That’s because BMI doesn’t reflect what’s happening inside the body. To get a better understanding of your overall health, it’s helpful to look at other indicators too, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Body fat percentage gives more specific information. It tells you how much of your total body weight is made up of fat. A quick way to check this is by measuring your waist. A waist measurement greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men can suggest too much belly fat, which is linked to a higher risk of health problems.

According to Edgemon, age and gender are two examples of variables that can affect the ranges of healthy body fat. A healthy body fat percentage for the majority of women is between 25% and 31%. The healthy range for men is between 18% and 24%. These numbers can vary, especially for athletes or older adults, so they should be used as general guidelines rather than strict rules.

Edgemon advises monitoring your body fat percentage and BMI in order to maintain your health. This can help you make better choices for your health and fitness. She suggests regular physical activity—about 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. Strength training at least two times a week is also important to help build muscle and improve body composition.

In terms of diet, Edgemon advises eating more plant-based foods. Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats to give your body the nutrients it needs. With the right balance of exercise and nutrition, you can reach a healthy weight and improve your overall well-being.