Final answer:
It is true that muscular individuals can be mis-categorized by the BMI scale because BMI does not differentiate between muscle and fat. This can result in athletes with low body fat being classified as overweight or obese. Additional methods are necessary to accurately assess an individual's health status. The correct answer is a) True.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that muscular individuals are often mis-categorized in the BMI scale is true. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement that calculates body mass using a person's height and weight. However, BMI does not account for muscle mass, which is denser and weighs more than fat. Therefore, individuals with high muscle mass, such as athletes, might have a higher BMI and be classified as overweight or obese, despite having a healthy body composition.
For example, if two individuals have the same height and weight, resulting in an identical BMI, one could be muscular with low body fat, while the other could have a higher body fat percentage. Since BMI only considers total weight, it cannot differentiate between muscle and fat, leading to inaccurate categorization. This limitation highlights the importance of additional assessments, such as body fat percentage and waist circumference, to provide a more accurate health evaluation. Despite its limitations, BMI serves as a general screening tool for potential health risks associated with being underweight, overweight, or obese. It is commonly used because it is an easy and inexpensive method to categorize people's weight in relation to their height and can help signal the need for further medical evaluation. So, the correct answer is a) True.