Letters; August/September 2007; Scientific American Mind; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

In "Addicted to Food?" Oliver Grimm states that a body mass index (BMI) of a specific value makes a person obese. I disagree: BMI is a simplistic formula based on height and weight that is often inaccurate.

Every time I go in for a physical, the nurse starts to lecture me that I'm overweight based on the calculation of a BMI of 25. Then I interrupt the nurse, and she sheepishly admits that my BMI does not mean I am fat.