Which of the following is a limitation of using BMI as an indicator of health?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a popular tool used to assess whether an individual has a healthy body weight relative to their height, but it has significant limitations. One critical limitation is that it does not take into account how body fat is distributed across different areas of the body. For instance, two individuals may have the same BMI but vastly different body compositions; one may have more fat concentrated around the abdomen (which is associated with higher health risks) while the other may have a healthier fat distribution.

Understanding body fat distribution is essential because it can influence health outcomes. For example, individuals with an "apple-shaped" body, who store fat around their waists, are at a higher risk for conditions like heart disease and diabetes compared to those with a "pear-shaped" body, who tend to store fat in their hips and thighs, even if both have the same BMI. Therefore, the limitation of BMI in assessing health lies not just in its method of calculation, but significantly in its inability to provide complete insights into body composition and fat distribution.