Like most of the country, we spend a lot of time tracking the vaccine roll outs, the number of vaccines distributed and the number of Americans now vaccinated, all the while checking the CDC website wondering “am I eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine” yet?

Do you know how to calculate your body mass index (BMI)? Turns out, you may want to learn, because today, as Coronavirus vaccines roll out across the country, knowing your BMI may be more important than ever.

Despite being an archaic way to calculate your body fat percentage, according to the CDC and current vaccination roll-out guidelines in a number of states, if your BMI is measured as “obese” you can skip the line and get your COVID vaccine now.

For certain groups, including women, black people and people with low income, who make up the majority of Americans classified as “obese,” this outdated form of measurement - that makes no distinction between bone density, muscle mass and body fat - may for once be their friend, not foe. In fact, millions of Americans in Texas, New York and Utah have already realized this.

The B.M.I. formula was originally generated for white men and has since just been broadly applied to other demographics which has resulted in many healthy people still falling into the “overweight” range on the body mass index chart.

Body Mass Index, or BMI, was created back in the mid-19th century by Belgian astronomer and mathematician, Adolphe Quetelet. The formula came after World War II when actuaries reported an increase in mortality in overweight policyholders. At that point, the relationship between weight and cardiovascular disease became the center of many epidemiological studies.

Since that time the formula has remained unchanged and it has been largely used as a means to screen for obesity. BMI is calculated by dividing your body mass (weight) by the square of your body height. All individuals are classified into one of 4 categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.

So, as states start to open COVID vaccinations to more groups, this outdated formula, long called into question by fat activists and medical experts, stands to actively benefit “fat people” for the first time.

To be clear, body mass index (BMI) is not the same as body fat percentage.

Female Body Fat Percentage Chart & Male Body Fat Percentage Chart

Over time, new methods for body fat and body composition measurement have evolved. Rather than relying on Quetelet’s equation, body composition testing has moved to utilize other methods including the low dose x-ray radiation of DEXA and air displacement of BOD POD to more accurately generate a complete picture of internal wellness and whole body densitometry.

Body fat percentage is calculated using a number of different techniques: DEXA / DXA (low dose x-ray), BOD POD (air displacement), SECA (bio impedance) , Hydrostatic Weighing and Skin Folds (skin calipers).

The body fat percentage chart is a much more accurate depiction of wellness than the body mass index. Body composition scans not only break down lean and fat mass but DEXA (DXA) takes into account your bone mass and reveals what types of fat you have, where you carry them, how much of your body is water weight and what your segmental distribution of fat, lean and bone mass is.

Whether or not you qualify for your COVID vaccine thanks to the faulty BMI measurement system, as we move out of the pandemic and back into a more “normal” life again, it’s a great time to find a body composition scan near you. By learning more about your levels of body fat and the unique fat distribution in your body, you can uncover your risks for both endemic and chronic diseases and become educated on what you need to do to improve your general wellness.