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

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Replies

  • dawnsnarks
    dawnsnarks Posts: 101 Member
    Wow, my BMI is lower than 79% of females in my age range in the US but 53% higher than females across the globe. Apparently I'm most like someone in Malaysia but still would add 7.5 million tons if everyone weighed what I do. Looks like I still have some more work to do ;)
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    So I'm lower than 64% of the world and 84% of those in Canada and most like Singapore. Interesting, guess I need to eat more! :smiley:
  • PaperSt
    PaperSt Posts: 27 Member
    PaperSt wrote: »
    Very interesting. After finding my current result, I plugged in my weight goal. At my goal, I would be comparable to someone from Cambodia... Hmmm...
    Hmmm... that may not be the best weight? What BMI would that be?

    I was wondering the same. I'm not there yet, so I guess we'll see as we go. BMI would be 21 at my goal weight.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    How fun! I'm having a birthday in 4 days that moves me from one age group to another, so I ran it with both. Right now I'm most like someone from Indonesia, but after my birthday (until I lose more weight) will be like someone from Pakistan.

    I ran the numbers to see what weight would be the most, uh, patriotic--that is most like someone from the US--and it was 166 at my current age (I'm only 5'3), and 172 (which is officially obese) once I turn 45 and am in the higher age bracket. I guess that's not surprising.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    ndj1979, to answer, yes I do lift. Not super-super heavy, but basically I lift as heavy as I can and the improvements come slowly but surely. I have visible quad definition, and other muscles are starting to show also.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    edited December 2014
    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.

    That's the entire point. BMI is a population metric. It's completely useless as a statistic for an individual, was never intended to be used for individuals, and even the man who came up with the formula went on record stating that BMI of any single individual is meaningless.

    Also, there are millions of athletes competing in organized sports (pro, semi-pro, amateur) in the United States alone. To say that people with above average muscle mass are rare exceptions is disingenuous.
  • WhoIsAmber
    WhoIsAmber Posts: 161 Member
    "You have a higher BMI than 100% of females aged 15-29 in the world"
    :(
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    My BMI is lower than 98% of males in my age bracket in the USA and lower than 86% of males worldwide. Makes me glad that I've started to lift weights.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    My BMI is 22. It says I am below the national and global averages for my age category. In the US, I'm apparently below 91%? I'm not actually thin. I'm just medium size.

    do you work out/lift weights or on any kind of training program?

    If not, then you might not have that much muscle mass so for you you get the opposite which is that you register as "thin"….

    Why do you automatically assume she has low LBM and doesn't strength train?

    Shrug...I'm the same BMI (22), and below 87% of US population. I think I'm pretty "medium sized," too (umm, that's even what my clothing tag says, lol). AND...I lift (progressive program), and have appreciable muscle mass (pics should be open in my profile--work in progress, aiming for more).

    I did not assume anything…that is why I asked the question ..

    If I was assuming then I would of said "your BMI is low, because you do not strength train" HOWEVER I asked the question and then stated that it MIGHT be because of that…

    reading comprehension much?

    But 22 is a medium sized BMI typically anyway, so there's no need for any explanation. Normal is 19 (or 18.5) to 25. It tends to fit better for women than men and for populations as a whole than individuals, but of course anyone who is an anomaly due to extra muscle mass/lower body fat generally will know that.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    There's something wrong with that calculator. At 139 pounds, 64 inches, and 53 years old, I have a zero BMI and am lower than 100% of all the chicks in the world who are in my age group. That's a hard one to believe. I figure I'm about average.
  • rlmiller73190
    rlmiller73190 Posts: 342 Member
    Super interesting! Thanks for sharing :) I have a BMI lower than 80% of women in my age group - but higher than 55% of the rest of the women in the world in my age group. The article was dated in 2012... I wonder how those numbers have changed (if at all) in the last two years!
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    BMI lower than 95% of females in the US between the ages of 30-44, lower than 80% in the world. Very interesting to see!
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    BMI of 28, pushin on that obesity level!

    You have a higher BMI than 57% of males aged 15-29 in your country
    You have a higher BMI than 93% of males aged 15-29 in the world

    mirin', fatass.
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    I am below average for Uk where I live and to be honest I expected that (as they take age into consideration too, despite being over a healthy BMI
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    There's something wrong with that calculator. At 139 pounds, 64 inches, and 53 years old, I have a zero BMI and am lower than 100% of all the chicks in the world who are in my age group. That's a hard one to believe. I figure I'm about average.
    Are you sure you entered that in right? I tried entering those stats in and got something very different (what looks to be about right).

  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    I'd like to give a shout out to my Congolese brothers and sisters, since we share the same BMI average


    22 bmi
    You have a lower BMI than 90% of males aged 30-44 in your country Global
    You have a lower BMI than 66% of males aged 30-44 in the world
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    It is only just a bit of fun and people need to not take it too seriously!
  • Efflictim
    Efflictim Posts: 147 Member
    "You have a lower BMI than 68% of females aged 15-29 in your country" Interesting..
  • CarrieCans
    CarrieCans Posts: 381 Member
    Oh i like this, it was interesting to compare.

    Starting Weight = BMI 32 - Above Average (65%) - Above Average (93%) - Kuwait
    Current Weight = BMI 29 - Below Average (53%) - Above Average - (82%) - Jordan
    Goal Weight = BMI 23 - Below Average (84%) - Below Average (56%) - Pakistan

    If i dropped down to the lowest BMI in the "healthy" range:
    BMI 18 - Below Average (96%) - Below Average (84%) - Ethiopia
  • GeeWillickers
    GeeWillickers Posts: 85 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….

    Nor does it accommodate for different frame sizes - small, medium, large. Even at 200 pounds for a 6'3 guy such as myself it gives a BMI of 25 which is overweight. Below 200 I'm underweight.

    It baffles me how a tool of statistical evaluation has been so widely adopted and accepted as even a remotely accurate diagnostic tool.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    skullshank wrote: »
    BMI of 28, pushin on that obesity level!

    You have a higher BMI than 57% of males aged 15-29 in your country
    You have a higher BMI than 93% of males aged 15-29 in the world

    mirin', fatass.

    You punch me right in the feels :(
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    edited December 2014
    I don't understand this at all! I get BMI but it says I am heavier than 98% of the women in Canada from 19-26 but I know for a fact there's a lot of women out there still bigger than me, and there's also a lot a bigger women in the US too. I cannot be heavier than 98% of the population in Canada . . . there's something off about this.

    For the record, I'm 5'9, 250lbs with 34% BF
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    I'm lower than 95% of women in my country in my age, and lower than 82% in the the world. I used to be lower than 58% in my country and higher than 74% globally - wow that's a big difference.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    skullshank wrote: »
    BMI of 28, pushin on that obesity level!

    You have a higher BMI than 57% of males aged 15-29 in your country
    You have a higher BMI than 93% of males aged 15-29 in the world

    mirin', fatass.

    You punch me right in the feels :(

    10/10 would tongue-punch, right in the feels.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited December 2014
    tigersword wrote: »
    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.

    That's the entire point. BMI is a population metric. It's completely useless as a statistic for an individual, was never intended to be used for individuals, and even the man who came up with the formula went on record stating that BMI of any single individual is meaningless.

    Also, there are millions of athletes competing in organized sports (pro, semi-pro, amateur) in the United States alone. To say that people with above average muscle mass are rare exceptions is disingenuous.

    Completely agree that BMI is not an individual tool and I've said that for years, it isn't as useful for individuals who can do a BF% aproximation. Also, it is true what you say about the number of athletes but even the majority of atheletes are not going to have a very high BMI with low BF%. Very few athletes would have an obese BMI with low body fat but overweight would be more likely for those in strength oriented sports like power lifting, Olympic lifting, rugby, body building and football. Those who are in endurance, speed, and other less strength dominant sports would likely have both low BMI and low BF%.

    In my experience, those who are very musclular with low BF aren't normally the ones you see complaining about BMI being skewed by muscle most of the time, but rather those who are a little higher than average in muscle but have much higher BMIs.

    ETA the last statement is not directed at anyone but just a general observation I've made over the years.
  • At first it said I was 100% fatter than people in my country, but then I realized I didn't switch to pounds and now I'm 86% less fat than the average, haha I was concerned there for a minute.
  • ElizabethNJ
    ElizabethNJ Posts: 32 Member
    edited December 2014
    So I have a lower BMI than 53% of women my age in the US, but higher than 86% of women my age globally. This is definitely motivation!
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
    Very interesting! I apparently (as a short, slim woman) have a lower BMI than 70% of females ages 19-35 in the world, and am most like someone from Sri Lanka. And it says: "If everyone in the world had the same BMI as you, it would remove 50,614,965 tonnes from the total weight of the world's population"!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    At first it said I was 100% fatter than people in my country, but then I realized I didn't switch to pounds and now I'm 86% less fat than the average, haha I was concerned there for a minute.

    LOL, I would definitely hate so see what country you were from if you were 100%. ;)
  • ElizabethNJ
    ElizabethNJ Posts: 32 Member
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    I don't understand this at all! I get BMI but it says I am heavier than 98% of the women in Canada from 19-26 but I know for a fact there's a lot of women out there still bigger than me, and there's also a lot a bigger women in the US too. I cannot be heavier than 98% of the population in Canada . . . there's something off about this.

    For the record, I'm 5'9, 250lbs with 34% BF

    It's not talking about all Canadians, or even all women in Canada. Only women in that specific age bracket...which is not a very big bracket So a woman who is 27 or 28 wouldn't be included for your results.
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