The post-Christmas period is often a time for weighing things up, whether taking stock at the end of the year or preparing for the one ahead. For others, it is simply a time for weighing: stepping on the bathroom scales while reflecting mournfully on the quantity of turkey dinners, mince pies and sherries consumed.

The seasonal phenomenon of diner’s remorse might well include a panicked estimate of body mass index, calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height squared (height measured in metres). The reassuring news is that some of those with a BMI above the World Health Organisation’s “healthy” range might have less to worry about than previously thought.

Financial Times