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Image processing in R for BMI calculation

Colleagues,

BMI has is failures, but it has demonstrated utility. BMI predicts multiple outcome measures including cardiovascular disease and mortality. Don't through out a useful metric because it is not the perfect metric. 

As to why BMI is computed as weight/height^2, it can be shown that dividing height by the square of weight decreases the correlation between weight and height. The optimum exponent (i.e. the power that most effectively minimizes the correlation between weight and height) is not the same in men and women and it differs by race. In general an exponent of 2.0 is best for men; for women an exponent of 2.2 is a bit better than 2.0.

In any event, don't let the perfect get in the way of the good.

John


John David Sorkin M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chief, Biostatistics and Informatics
University of Maryland School of Medicine Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
Baltimore VA Medical Center
10 North Greene Street
GRECC (BT/18/GR)
Baltimore, MD 21201-1524
(Phone) 410-605-7119
(Fax) 410-605-7913 (Please call phone number above prior to faxing)
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