Answer

Not always.

Body builders and some athletes or fitness enthusiasts build up a high level of muscle mass.







This shows up as extra weight and gives some athletes a BMI in the unhealthy range. But an increased risk of disease only comes with extra body fat, not with muscle, so the result is wrong.

By the same token, there are people who have excess body fat and very low muscle mass. Their BMI could suggest they are a healthy weight when they are not. It may give them a false sense of reassurance.

Your doctor will look at many different things to assess how healthy you are. Keep track of the big items on the list like BMI, weight, blood pressure, waist circumference and minutes of exercise per week.