BMI - The false indicator for me anyway!

karimk80
karimk80 Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
I am trying to lose about 3kg in 5 weeks as my calorie intake is too high and I have a bit of a pot belly despite being slim. I am of Bangladeshi heritage born in the UK. The BMI is very misleading for the south asian population who came here in the 70s like my father. The body shape is key. I am slim but all my fat is round my tummy otherwise I am fine. This is normal for this ethnic group but worrying as the fat is round your organs and Asians in the UK are 4 times more likely to have heart disease and let's not get started on diabetes!. If you measure your tummy circumference and can lose 5%, say 100cm to 95cm that equates to losing 30% of the fat around your organs. So let's keep at it everyone!!! '

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Overweight and Obese are set at lower BMI values for "South Asian" populations, from memory overweight starts at 23.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2015
    Your stomach circumference should be less than half your height and no more than 90cm (s. Asian male) or 80cm (female)

    Genetic predisposition to where you carry fat is indeed a variable
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    Overweight and Obese are set at lower BMI values for "South Asian" populations, from memory overweight starts at 23.

    That's right, underweight is still the same reading though
  • KeepGood
    KeepGood Posts: 386 Member
    I need to be in the overweight range of the BMI to look even remotely healthy
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    karimk80 wrote: »
    This is normal for this ethnic group

    Yes, it is common but I don't think it is down to heredity or genetics mate.

    I used to think it was "normal" for the longest time as well. My parents came over from Sri Lanka in the 70s and growing up in that community I just thought it was the way we were built whilst stuffing my face with Kottu roti and doing bugger all exercise. I don't think that now. It's more lifestyle in my opinion - poor diet (especially lack of protein) coupled with little or no resistance training. Fortunately the next generation of Asian kids are more on the ball and have better physiques and health generally.

    So yeah, focus on waist size for sure but I wouldn't totally disregard a lower BMI either.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2015
    KeepGood wrote: »
    I need to be in the overweight range of the BMI to look even remotely healthy

    Yep I though the same ...5'8, large frame, decent musculature, carry weight well even with a BMI of 30..clearly an outlier

    ... Yet here I am with a BMI of 24

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