Need a good hard slap in the face? Find out where you are on the global fat scale.

jrose1982
jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
This tool compares your BMI to that of people in your own country and around the world.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-18770328

I'm pretty high on the scale (even after losing 30 lbs). This has got to be the most shocking perspective of my weight that I've ever seen. Try it at your own risk (especially if you're obese).
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Replies

  • rdkstar
    rdkstar Posts: 260 Member
    Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. I'm nearing the end of my weightloss and this makes me feel extra good. Definitely an eye opener.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
    rdkstar wrote: »
    Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. I'm nearing the end of my weightloss and this makes me feel extra good. Definitely an eye opener.

    I'm glad it made you feel good (and congratulations on your almost-there-success).

    It made my jaw drop. I might as well admit, my BMI is higher that 98% of American women my age. (and higher than 100% of women worldwide in my age group, but I think that's a mathematical anomaly).

    I've always known I was fat, but it felt normal. Seeing myself as fatter than the rest of the world (even knowing it's not literally true) certainly does not feel normal.
  • clare120
    clare120 Posts: 41 Member
    Wow, thank you for posting this. I am apparently from an African country with a low BMI. It really put things into perspective for me.
  • charlieandcarol
    charlieandcarol Posts: 302 Member
    Well now I'm depressed....You did warn me! :)

    Its kind of motivating too....
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I love that

    I have a lower BMI than 64% of the females in my age bracket in the UK but am higher than 57% of the females in the world

    This bit was the killer

    "Did you know?
    If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would add 31,269,932 tonnes to the total weight of the world's population"

    :grinning:
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Of course - different ethnicities have different BMI scales eg perhaps the numbers of Asians etc (who have lower BMI weight ranges than Western) may well skew the international picture out of making any point at all
  • CherryChan81
    CherryChan81 Posts: 264 Member
    edited December 2014
    i am most like someone from Ireland! o:)

    and oh! --> If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would add 9,270,264 tonnes to the total weight of the world's population...

    Kinda SAD right?
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,876 MFP Moderator
    While it is interesting, I think it is a skewed perspective for a reason - shock value. It's not reasonable to compare my BMI as a well-fed westerner with that of people in Africa with barely anything to eat. Of course my BMI is going to be higher. ;) Also as we learn more, we realize BMI is helpful to know but it's not the whole health picture. Still, thanks for sharing. Interesting stuff!
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    My BMI is higher than 64% of the world but if everyone had my BMI, it would remove 590000 tons from the world. Okay?
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    This is so cool! I went from being 97% higher than other similar women from my country, to being 85% lower then others!! Makes me feel pretty good.
  • fearlessleader104
    fearlessleader104 Posts: 723 Member
    Woo hoo! I won! I am in the top 4%! I win all the cakes in the world!
  • Beanogirl
    Beanogirl Posts: 97 Member
    I like my results. Thank you. Lower than 78% of the UK. Whoop whoop!!
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    Haha, how amusing, although I found it more interesting to see which had the heavier populations rather than evaluating myself, lol
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,207 Member
    Fark me, that's brutal!!! "If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would add 149,374,625 tonnes to the total weight of the world's population"
  • mustloseweight2015
    mustloseweight2015 Posts: 78 Member
    Wow! Thanks for posting this. Definitely enlightening!
  • MaxPower0102
    MaxPower0102 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Although I am in the 97th percentile worldwide, I am only 80% here. From where I started, I was at 97% for the US. PROGRESS!!!!!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    LOL and this is why BMI is a garbage stat, I went and plugged in my information and it gave me a BMI of 55 which is "obese"….there is no way I am obese at 180 pounds and 14 to 15% body fat…even though I am bulking right now….The problem with BMI is that it does not account for muscle mass….
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    You have a higher BMI than 79% of females aged 30-44 in your country

    Yeah.. that's it. I'm moving to Tonga.
  • fat2strongbeth
    fat2strongbeth Posts: 735 Member
    This is very reflective of how overweight Americans are now. I have a lower BMI than 65% in the U.S. for my height/age, but higher than 71% worldwide!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    betharin wrote: »
    This is very reflective of how overweight Americans are now. I have a lower BMI than 65% in the U.S. for my height/age, but higher than 71% worldwide!!

    actually it is not, because BMI does not account for muscle mass…

    Not saying Americans are not obese, I am just disputing that BMI is an "effective stat"….
  • goingtobefit2015
    goingtobefit2015 Posts: 408 Member
    ;) I'm moving to Bangladesh lol.....
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    LOL and this is why BMI is a garbage stat, I went and plugged in my information and it gave me a BMI of 55 which is "obese"….there is no way I am obese at 180 pounds and 14 to 15% body fat…even though I am bulking right now….The problem with BMI is that it does not account for muscle mass….

    Unfortunately, I think you're an outlier; most folks who are over their BMI are not over because of muscle. I know it happens more often on MFP, but in the general population, not so much...

    My results were encouraging, especially after weighing after Thanksgiving!

    "You have a lower BMI than 92% of females aged 45-59 in your country." "You have a lower BMI than 75% of females aged 45-59 in the world." "If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would remove 31,173,398 tonnes from the total weight of the world's population."
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    betharin wrote: »
    This is very reflective of how overweight Americans are now. I have a lower BMI than 65% in the U.S. for my height/age, but higher than 71% worldwide!!

    actually it is not, because BMI does not account for muscle mass…

    Not saying Americans are not obese, I am just disputing that BMI is an "effective stat"….

    It actually IS reflective. People with a larger muscle mass than average are the exception, not the rule. BMI may not be very accurate for individuals, but it is for large groups.
  • fitfabforties
    fitfabforties Posts: 370 Member
    I'm lower than 67% of females age 30-44 in Canada and lower than 50% of females age 30-44 in the world.....mmmmm
  • ljones27uk
    ljones27uk Posts: 177 Member
    So far Ive gone from being like an average tongan.. to an average chinaman... definitely a stat I'll take :-)
  • logg1e
    logg1e Posts: 1,208 Member
    Really interesting link, thank you.
  • Ainesilver
    Ainesilver Posts: 72 Member
    Wow, I started out about a year ago with a higher BMI than even the women in Tonga. After a 30 pound weigh loss I have only dropped to the level of Egyptians. Geez, I have a long way to go. :(
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    edited December 2014
    I think this part is scary: If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would add 119,248,950 tonnes tothe total weight of the world's population
    But it USED to be 206,057,998 tonnes! So I'm going in the right direction!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    yankeedownsouth wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    LOL and this is why BMI is a garbage stat, I went and plugged in my information and it gave me a BMI of 55 which is "obese"….there is no way I am obese at 180 pounds and 14 to 15% body fat…even though I am bulking right now….The problem with BMI is that it does not account for muscle mass….

    Unfortunately, I think you're an outlier; most folks who are over their BMI are not over because of muscle. I know it happens more often on MFP, but in the general population, not so much...

    My results were encouraging, especially after weighing after Thanksgiving!

    "You have a lower BMI than 92% of females aged 45-59 in your country." "You have a lower BMI than 75% of females aged 45-59 in the world." "If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would remove 31,173,398 tonnes from the total weight of the world's population."

    any stat that does not account for how much muscle a given person is carrying around is not reliable…

    A more reasonable one would be body fat% or actual weight comparison.

  • Abby2205
    Abby2205 Posts: 253 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    LOL and this is why BMI is a garbage stat, I went and plugged in my information and it gave me a BMI of 55 which is "obese"….there is no way I am obese at 180 pounds and 14 to 15% body fat…even though I am bulking right now….The problem with BMI is that it does not account for muscle mass….

    By your information (180 pounds, 55 BMI) you are four feet tall, so BMI is probably not a good indicator for you.
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