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"  We&amp;#039;ve all heard that we should have our Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated to determine whether or not we&amp;#039;re obese and susceptible to the risk factors that come with being excessively overweight. At the Good Housekeeping Research Institute we&amp;#039;ve seen a profusion of tools\u2014from scales to apps\u2014 designed to help you calculate your BMI. However, recently I attended a seminar where I heard Dr. Eric Braverman, Clinical Assistant Professor of Integrative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and Dr. Nirav Shah, New York State Commissioner of Health present the results of an 11-year long clinical study which brought into question the accuracy of BMI.  While the researchers recognize the convenience and low-cost of using the BMI formula, they caution that BMI fails to diagnose obesity in many people and especially in women. The study found that BMI does not correlate well with body fat percentage, which is a much better indicator of obesity. While body fat percentage can be determined using a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Scan, the same equipment that is used in measuring bone density, most clinics are not yet trained in taking the body fat percentage measurements because the test isn&amp;#039;t widely prescribed.Another way to accurately diagnose obesity is to measure the level of leptin (a hormone that controls appetite and metabolism) in the blood.  If you&amp;#039;re struggling with weight issues and concerned as to whether you&amp;#039;re at risk for serious health problems, ask your physician about the DEXA scan and leptin tests, rather than rely solely on BMI. Of course the best thing you can do for your health, regardless of your weight, is eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly. Be sure to follow the blog posts of our nutritionist Samantha Cassetty M.S., R.D. on nutrition and dieting. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a21767/new-way-to-determine-obesity/>