Body Mass Index – a relic from the past?

For a long time, BMI value was considered a necessary criterion for the selection of models . The lower it was, the better. At the same time, chest, waist, and hip measurements were supposed to be the ideal “model” ratio of 90-60-90. This was a contradiction that increasingly attracted more and more scepticism and completely revolutionised the world of fashion. Today, the body mass index seems to have been forgotten, as more and more designers are focussing on diversity and consciously look for models who don't have conventional “model” measurements. So why is the BMI formula still on everyone's lips in Germany in spite of all this?

A statistical value with weaknesses

In order to find an answer to this question, you have to go back almost 200 years - to a time when body mass index was not yet being used to describe models’ measurements and did not even have its own name. It was a simple coefficient for determining average values, developed by a mathematician who was convinced that he could express all aspects of life as figures. In many ways, Adolphe Quetelet has been proved to be right with his hypothesis – but, of all things, his most famous calculation model has a few weak points: The formula weight : (height x height), does not take into account a person's gender, build, or fitness level, not to mention body fat percentage or bone density.

Not a formula for model measurements

That shouldn’t matter because Quetelet had never intended to use the calculation for individuals. He used it to determine the average weight of an entire population - in order to draw conclusions about the influence of diet and environment. Ancel Keys, who gave the body mass index its well-known name, was also aware of this. The calculation model did not become a skewed figure until a US life insurance company discovered the BMI value. They used the calculated figures to determine the costs of premiums. Those who were supposedly overweight were considered high-risk clients and therefore had to pay more for the same benefits. The model caught on and quickly became established in other industries. In some federal states in Germany (!), the body mass index is still (!) a criterion for becoming a civil servant. Those who weigh too much or too little, according to Quetelet's calculation, can get lost and forget about the coveted job - because they are supposedly more likely to fall ill than colleagues with an "ideal" BMI value.

Finally under criticism, and rightly so

Fortunately, this nonsense has long been the subject of controversy, as the results of numerous studies have undermined the rigid calculation model. Analysis of huge amounts of data has shown that illnesses and life expectancy are not necessarily linked to body mass index. Quite the opposite, actually: some medical symptoms can be alleviated or even prevented by higher or lower values. And doctors have long since discovered the shortcomings of Quetelet's formula. So well, in fact, that nowadays, even amputations are taken into account - because a missing body part influences the BMI value just as much as being muscular, having broad shoulders, or having an active lifestyle can.

Beautiful regardless of BMI

Even as an aspiring model, you no longer have to worry about your body mass index. The so-called ‘ideal’ or maximum/minimum measurements are no longer an factor for casting and online applications. Today, the stars of film and photo campaigns are more diverse than ever before. This means that more and more unconventional types of models, such as plus-size models, are being sought after. After all, it’s not the designers and producers who decide what is considered attractive and trendy, it's the viewers, buyers, and users. And they no longer want to emulate ideals, but rather, they want to be themselves - no matter how high or low their body index is.