Wrong index used in the war on fat

YOUR report headlined ‘Doubts cast on science behind the war on fat’ (December 4) refers to the use of body mass index (BMI) as a measure of fatness. It was always obvious that BMI does not measure fatness, but this pseudo-scientific nonsense has been seized on by the media and even the medical profession.

People vary; some are lightly built and others are heavy boned and muscular. Bone weighs four times as much as muscle and muscle twice as much as fat. You see how fat someone is by looking at them; you do not need to weigh them or calculate their BMI. The ratio between abdomen and chest circumference is a more accurate guide.

Obesity and over-fatness is a serious problem.