It is possible for individuals to have a high level of physical fitness while also being classified as overweight based on their body mass index (BMI). This can be the case for athletes or individuals who engage in regular strength training and have a higherthanaverage muscle mass. This is often seen in sports such as football, rugby, and weightlifting, where athletes may have a significant amount of muscle mass, which can tip the scales into the overweight or even obese category according to BMI standards.

The key to understanding this paradox lies in recognizing that BMI, while a useful tool for populationlevel health assessment, has limitations when it comes to individuals with high muscle mass. Therefore, a more accurate assessment of body composition can be obtained through other methods such as waist circumference measurements, skinfold thickness measurements, or, more scientifically, dualenergy Xray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans.