In this episode of Metabolic Mastery from KORR Medical Technologies, Dr. Marc Humbert and Dr. Cameron Garber dig deep into BMI—Body Mass Index. Often misunderstood and misapplied, BMI remains a widely used health metric. But does it still deserve a place in modern fitness and medicine? The doctors unpack the science behind BMI, its historical roots, and its usefulness (or lack thereof) when applied to individuals. They explore the J-shaped mortality curve, risk stratification, the limits of BMI in assessing fitness and fatness, and better alternatives like VO₂ max testing and body composition analysis. Whether you're an athlete, clinician, or simply health-conscious, this episode offers practical insights into how to better understand your health metrics and build a sustainable approach to longevity and performance.
💪 Topics include:
Why BMI fails to measure fitness and fatness
The true "sweet spot" for longevity
Fat but fit vs. skinny fat: What's riskier?
Muscle quality, metabolic flexibility, and sustainable training
VO₂ max testing and how it helps optimize your healthspan
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Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d76834b7-c11a-485f-8010-32b490d49e57/metabolic-mastery
Show Notes:
Mortality
BMI Mortality Risks & Confounders - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27146380/
BMI (J-shaped curve) and Mortality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30389323/
VO2max and Mortality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39537313/
AAS use and Mortality - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2816584
Low lean body mass and Mortality -
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29970408/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32518354/
Deep belly fat and Mortality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28671751/
Waist to Height and Mortality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37770574/
Aerobic & Resistance Training and Mortality - https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2023/11000/the_coming_of_age_of_resistance_exercise_as_a.7.aspx
"Fat but fit" implications
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39537313/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27230640/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29064474/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24400816/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33580798/
Muscle Quality & Impacts
Loss of physical function with aging - https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/66682
Fall risk in elderly - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31095087/
Influence of adiposity on muscle tissue - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23790255/
Importance of muscle quality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25520782/
Effects of fat infiltration on muscle –
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35980018/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30620635/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3910392/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23147096/
Resistance Training & Muscle Health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37881849/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38123165/
Metabolic flexibility - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35287953/
