Overview

• The University of Florida Health study in Annals of Family Medicine found that bioelectrical impedance analysis readings of body fat predicted a 78 percent increase in all-cause mortality and a 3.5-fold rise in heart disease deaths over 15 years while BMI showed no significant association.
• Bioelectrical impedance analysis measures electrical resistance to directly estimate body fat percentage, avoiding the muscle-fat misclassification and demographic insensitivity inherent in BMI.
• Portable BIA devices cost under $300 and can be used in routine primary care settings, offering a practical alternative to costly, clinic-limited DEXA scans.
• Professional bodies including the American Medical Association and a Lancet commission have publicly criticized BMI’s shortcomings and called for obesity definitions based on direct health indicators.
• Clinicians are weighing whether to replace or supplement BMI in guidelines by integrating BIA into routine exams to improve cardiovascular and mortality risk assessment.