Personal experience of BMI

Options
2»

Replies

  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I disagree, I do not think it is a good marker for individuals.

    Personally, I am at the lower end of normal on the BMI chart, but my bf% is still a LOT higher than I'd like. There are many, many people on here who'd show as overweight or obese on the scale, who are actually WAY more healthy than me.

    edit: didn't read your post properly, I thought you'd said YOU thought it was a good marker, reading back you just said it was a general thing - so I don't actually disagree with you =D I think BMIs crap though
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I do the lying in the bath test and that kinda works :grinning:

    Well, there's always the lying in bed test too, where you can flex your abdominal muscles and see how much stomach fat you can grab onto, lol
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    Options
    I think it's a decent measuring tool. Most people aren't muscular enough to throw it off significantly.

    Right now my BMI is about 27 and, yes, I'm pudgy. My lowest as an adult was around 20, and that's probably about as low as I could ever go (I don't think I could achieve it now without starving myself).
  • katya_be
    katya_be Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    I am at the higher end and can't wait to see what I look like at the lower end.. My whole life I have been at the top of my BMI, after pregnancy I was overweight :/ I would love to be able to go down to the lower end!
  • SteveK279
    SteveK279 Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    Antiquated system when the average height was lower - was ok years ago and for estimating across large population samples, but other proposed formulae would be better these days such as 1.3 * weight in kg / height in metres ^ 2.5.
    -
    - It works out the same as BMI if someone is 1m 69, but is more generous to those taller and more harsh to those shorter. Still doesn't take into account a person's frame or fat or muscle content either, so probably still isn't a good indicator on a 1 - 1 level
  • YalithKBK
    YalithKBK Posts: 317 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I think it's a good (VERY rough) estimator, but definitely not something you should rely on. Hydrostatic Body Fat tests are MUCH more accurate (for those of you who don't know, that's where they dunk you in a tank of water and see how much water you displace and calculate your fat/muscle ratio from that). Unfortunately you can't do those at home and have some cost attached, but it's worth it if you want to get an accurate number.

Categories