Michelle Obama says she is paying closer attention to her two daughters' body mass index (BMI) figures after learning that their numbers were "creeping upwards," and urged other parents to learn more about the important health statistic. BMI combines weight and height measurements to calculate body fat and is considered a more reliable indicator of obesity than weight alone, Agence France-Presse reported. Childhood obesity is the U.S. first lady's signature cause. But writing on yahoo.com's website, she said she "didn't really know what BMI was." "I certainly didn't know that even a small increase in BMI can have serious consequences for a child's health," she added, AFP reported.
|