What is a major limitation of using body mass index (BMI) as a method of evaluating body composition?

The major limitation of using body mass index (BMI) as a method of evaluating body composition is that it does not distinguish between fat and free mass. BMI is calculated using a person's height and weight, which provides a numerical value that indicates whether an individual is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. However, this measure does not differentiate between fat tissue and lean body mass, such as muscle or bone. As a result, someone with a high muscle mass might have a high BMI despite having a low percentage of body fat, thus potentially leading to inaccuracies in assessing an individual's overall health.

The other choices present limitations that do not directly correlate with the primary issue at hand. For example, BMI calculation does not require expensive equipment; it merely needs basic measurements of height and weight, making it accessible and easy to use. Additionally, while BMI can be applied to a wide range of age groups, its interpretations may differ for children and the elderly, which affects its applicability but not its basic function as a measure. Finally, BMI does not account for age differences in its formula, meaning it does not adjust for variations in body composition that ordinarily occur over a person's lifetime. The core of the limitation lies in the inability of BMI to reflect the intricacies