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

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jrose1982
jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Well now I'm depressed....You did warn me! :)

    Its kind of motivating too....
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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: 15,717 MFP Moderator
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Woo hoo! I won! I am in the top 4%! I win all the cakes in the world!
  • Beanogirl
    Beanogirl Posts: 97 Member
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    I like my results. Thank you. Lower than 78% of the UK. Whoop whoop!!
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    Haha, how amusing, although I found it more interesting to see which had the heavier populations rather than evaluating myself, lol
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    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
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    Wow! Thanks for posting this. Definitely enlightening!
  • MaxPower0102
    MaxPower0102 Posts: 2,654 Member
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    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: 29,139 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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: 29,139 Member
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    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"….

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