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The body mass index has been around since Belgian scientist Adolphe Quetelet invented it in the 1830s and was designed to approximate whether people have a healthy weight.

By dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their height in metres it is possible to arrive at an estimate of that individual's body fat.

Nick Trefethen of Oxford University's Mathematical Institute has identified a flaw in the basic formula for BMI, and has created a new calculation which he says better accounts for the relationship between height and weight.

According to Mr Trefethen, the current formula to calculate the score (weight/height2) is incorrect because "it divides the weight by too large a number for short people, and too small a number for tall people. So short people are misled into thinking they are thinner than they are, and tall people are misled into thinking they are fatter than they are."