In the past, people relied on height-weight tables that were based on insurance company mortality statistics, but these were inaccurate because

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Muscle is denser than fat, so a given volume of muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat; this is the key reason the old height-weight tables were inaccurate.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Density: mass per unit volume (g/ml). Muscle density ≈ 1.06 g/ml, fat density ≈ 0.90 g/ml.  
- Body composition: total body weight combines bone, muscle, fat, organs, and fluids. Two people of identical height and weight can have very different percentages of muscle and fat.  
- Height-weight tables assumed a direct relationship between height and "ideal" weight without accounting for composition or fitness.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Height-weight tables equated higher weight at a given height with greater health risk.  
- A muscular person may have substantial lean mass (higher density tissue). For the same body volume, muscle contributes more mass than fat. Thus a fit, muscular person can exceed the table’s “ideal” weight while having low body fat and good health.  
- Conversely, an unfit person with high fat and low muscle could fall within the “ideal” weight range but have poor health.

3) Calculations and intermediate steps
- Compare equal volumes: 1 liter of muscle ≈ 1.06 kg; 1 liter of fat ≈ 0.90 kg.  
- Difference: 1.06 kg − 0.90 kg = 0.16 kg per liter.  
- So for, say, 10 liters of tissue difference, muscle would weigh 1.06×10 = 10.6 kg vs fat 0.9×10 = 9.0 kg — a 1.6 kg difference.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- Because muscle’s greater density means that a person with more muscle mass will weigh more at the same height and may be misclassified by basic height-weight tables. This directly explains why the tables were inaccurate.

5) Why other options are incorrect
- Option A: Generally, fit people tend to have equal or higher bone density due to weight-bearing activity; the statement that an unfit person may have higher bone density is not a general explanation for table inaccuracies.  
- Option B: Fit people do not necessarily weigh less; they can weigh more due to greater muscle mass.  
- Option D: Fat does not weigh more than muscle for equal volumes; fat is less dense.

6) Conclusion
This confirms the correct choice: "muscle weighs more than fat."

In the past, people relied on height-weight tables that were based on insurance company mortality statistics, but these were inaccurate because单项选择题

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