Body Mass Index is mathematically related to the square of height
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 91/100
Body Mass Index (BMI) is mathematically defined as an individual's body weight divided by the square of their height, reflecting Quetelet's historical rule that weight scales approximately with height squared in adults.
Evidence for · 5
Why are there race/ethnic differences in adult body mass index-adiposity relationships? A quantitative critical review.
2016 · cited by 330
Reviews how body mass index relates mass and height measurements across different demographic populations.
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More for · 4
Tri-Ponderal Mass Index vs Body Mass Index in Estimating Body Fat During Adolescence.
2017 · cited by 186
Discusses how body mass index traditionally divides weight by height squared, though noting scaling limitations in children.
Allometric scaling of weight to height and resulting body mass index thresholds in two Asian populations
2019 · cited by 21
Confirms through allometric analysis that weight scales to height squared across general adult populations.
Weight/height2: Mathematical overview of the world's most widely used adiposity index
2024 · cited by 10
Details Quetelet's historical mathematical derivation establishing that body weight is proportional to the square of height in adults.
Allometric multi-scaling of weight-for-height relation in children and adolescents: Revisiting the theoretical basis of body mass index of thinness and obesity assessment
2024 · cited by 6
Notes that the standard body mass index formula uses weight divided by height squared, which converges to validity in adults.