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Body Shape Index (BSI or ABSI) Calculator

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Theory

Body Shape Index (BSI or ABSI) Concept

The Body Shape Index (BSI), also known as A Body Shape Index (ABSI), is an anthropometric index developed to assess the risk of obesity-related diseases, particularly those associated with abdominal fat. Created by Dr. Nir Krakauer in 2012, the ABSI is proposed as a better indicator than the Body Mass Index (BMI) because it considers waist circumference in addition to weight and height, thus providing a more precise view of the distribution of body fat.

Calculation Formula

The ABSI is calculated with the following formula:

$$ \textcolor{var(--primary-color)}{\displaystyle \Large \textbf{ABSI} = \frac{WC}{(BMI^{\frac{2}{3}} \times \sqrt{Height})}} $$

Where:

• WC = circumference of the waist in meters
• BMI = Body mass index
• Height = Height in meters

WHERE Height is the height in meters.

Importance of the Body Shape Index (BSI or ABSI)

The ABSI is considered an indicator of centralized obesity; higher values ​​are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Unlike the BMI, which can overestimate health in muscular individuals, the ABSI provides a more accurate measure of the risk related to the distribution of body fat. ABSI-z values, which normalize ABSI by age and sex, allow risk to be classified into different categories:

Associated Risks

ABSI-z Value	Health Risk
Less than -0.868	Very low
Between -0.868 and -0.272	Low
Between -0.272 and +0.229	Average
Between +0.229 and +0.798	High
Greater than +0.798	Very high

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_shape_index

An "ABSI-z" value greater than 0 indicates a higher risk than the average for people of the same age and sex.

Anthropometric Indicators

Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), and Body Mass Index (BMI) are three anthropometric indicators used to assess body composition and health risk. The commonalities between these three indices are:

• They measure body fat distribution

  All three indices attempt to assess the amount and distribution of fat in the body, although with different approaches.

• They assess health risk

  They are used to estimate the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other obesity-related conditions.

• They use simple anthropometric measures

  They require basic measurements of the human body, such as height, weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference.

• They are screening tools

  They do not provide a clinical diagnosis, but serve as indicators to identify people who may be at risk and require further medical evaluation.

Comparison of "WHR", "ABSI" and "BMI"

Indicator	What it measures	Advantages	Disadvantages	Calculator
BMI	Weight for height	Easy to calculate, useful for populations	Does not distinguish between fat and muscle	BMI Calculator
WHR	Body fat distribution	More predictive of cardiovascular risk than BMI	Does not take height or muscle mass into account	WHR Calculator
ABSI	Abdominal fat distribution	More accurate at predicting mortality risk than BMI	More complex calculation	ABSI Calculator

Professional Papers and Relevant Studies

The ABSI has been the subject of significant scientific studies and publications in peer-reviewed journals. One of the key papers was published in the journal PLoS One, where the authors demonstrated that ABSI is a more effective indicator of mortality risk than BMI. Other studies have analyzed the relationship between ABSI and total mortality, confirming that a high ABSI is related to higher mortality rates, independently of other risk factors such as smoking and diabetes.

Summary

In summary, ABSI represents a significant advance in the assessment of health risk related to obesity and body fat distribution, overcoming the limitations of the traditional BMI.

Use this calculator to monitor your ABSI and, if necessary, consult a health professional for a more in-depth assessment!

Use

First, choose the calculation with the Metric System or the Imperial System.

Enter the values for Waist Circumference, Weight and Height.

If the chosen system is the Metric System then the Waist Circumference will be in Centimeters, the Weight will be in Kilograms and the Height can be chosen between Centimeters and Meters.

If the chosen system is the Imperial System then the Waist Circumference will be in Inches, the Weight will be in Pounds and the Height can be chosen between Inches and Feet.

By entering your Waist Circumference, Weight and Height it calculates your "ABSI".