Body mass index is currently used as a measurement of whether a person is at a healthy weight, overweight, underweight or obese. The BMI is considered to estimate body composition, including body fat, more accurately than a simple measurement of weight. Your BMI may be affected by the quality and quantity of carbohydrates in your diet, although a direct link between carbohydrate intake and BMI is presently speculative rather than confirmed.
Definitions
BMI is a measure of your overall weight in relation to the volume of your body. Your BMI is measured by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height, in meters, squared. The resulting number, although not a direct measurement of body fat, is used in the medical profession to estimate your body composition and whether this is healthy, underweight or overweight.
Effects
According to a study published in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, rates of obesity in the United States increased between the 1980s and 2007. One possible cause for this overall increase in obesity rates, and therefore increased BMI measurements, is increased consumption of carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrates or any kind of food in excess of your body's daily energy requirements is likely to cause an increase in your weight and therefore your BMI, as excess dietary calories are stored as body fat.
Theories/Speculation
The relationship between BMI and carbohydrates is controversial and, to date, unproven. The general increase in U.S. carbohydrate consumption and average BMI has led to speculation that carbohydrate consumption can cause excess weight gain. However, studies have failed to show a clear and consistent relationship between carbohydrate intake and BMI. In some studies, weight loss has been witnessed when an individual followed a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. Therefore, it would appear that the overall quality of a person's diet -- rather than simply the carbohydrate content of that diet -- affects weight control and BMI. However, there is evidence that the quality of carbohydrates consumed does affect your BMI -- whole-grain carbohydrates are associated with generally lower BMIs. Complex carbohydrates and fiber-rich carbohydrates appear to help attain and maintain a healthy BMI.
Benefits
The glycemic index classifies carbohydrate foods according to their relative ability to increase your blood sugar level upon consumption. Each carbohydrate food is assigned a GI value between zero and 100. Low GI foods -- with ratings between zero and 56 -- typically release sugar slowly into the blood upon digestion. According to the Glycemic Index website, administered by the University of Sydney, a diet rich in low GI foods aids weight control due to the increased sense of satiety produced by these foods and their slow release of sugar. Certain studies have found that high GI foods in the diet correlate with a high BMI, but this has not been proved conclusively. Some studies have proved no link between GI dieting and BMI changes; others found that GI dieting actually increased BMI.
Warning
If you attempt to control or change your BMI through restriction of your carbohydrate intake, consider your body's minimum daily energy needs. The number of calories required each day vary according to an individual's gender, height, present weight, activity level and medical history. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you consume a minimum of 1,200 calories daily if female, and 1,800 calories daily if male. You should seek personalized medical advice from your own health care provider before making any significant changes to your diet or BMI.
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