Teaching Body Mass Index and Kleiber Law

Abstract

Scaling laws advise that resting metabolic rates in animals and their corresponding body surfaces both should follow [Formula: see text] dependence. A pedagogic attempt has been made to validate this Kleiber law in case of human beings having spherical head and cylindrical arms, legs and trunk with the help of associated body mass index. It is observed that the metabolic rates of those persons who either lose or put on weight are not affected provided their body parts are functioning properly. It is suggested that matching body mass indices should also be worked out for animals.