How much do you trust the BMI

HeidiMightyRawr

I say for the average person with normal muscle mass it can be a useful "guide". Just that though, a guide - not the be all and end all. I've heard of it being used in schools and perfectly healthy kids are being told they are overweight/obese and letters sent out to their parents etc. Common sense needs to be used, as well as your own eyes.

For me at my highest weight I was a BMI of 23. I wouldn't say I was fat but it definitely was too big for me. I feel most comfortable at the lower end, around 19/20 but that could well change if my muscle mass increased.

cofakid

i find it frustrating that so many ppl say bmi is bs because if your lean and fit it will be totally wrong. The reason i find it frustrating is ppl just say oh bmi is bs dont go by that but i KNOW i am NOT lean, i am NOT fit, and for me the bmi is a good starting point. I know im overweight from what ive been told by doctors, and bmi gives ppl like me a starting point. i know it doesnt really apply to lean fit people, but for most people who are trying to lose weight its a good starting point. and i think telling people over and over again that bmi is bs makes people think oh my bmi is obesse but everyone says thats bs so i dont need to lose weight when in fact they do. thats just my opinion anyway.

Elleinnz

I've posted this a few times, and I have a feeling the nobody actually reads it, but I'll try again.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439&sc=fb&cc=fp

Great article !!

lord_lethris

BMI is boll**ks. Throw it, its different for everyone, and most of the calculators/rules you find online or in books are rubbish.

I got my BMI done by both a qualified fitness trainer and a Doctor. They both used an electronic machine that (by my knowledge) measures the fat/water lvls (or something like that, I don't really know). The both gave me the same result...

...Which was different from the one I calculated using a BMI rule in a Weight watchers book.

The BMI rule from Weight watchers told me im overweight.

The Doctor said that even though I could do with loosing some weight around the waist, im not "overweight" due to the weight of my bones and muscle (or something to that tune).

conclusion - If you are going to worry about your BMI (even though its Boll**ks), get it done with the right equipment. its free, and you get a TRUE reading.

Lyadeia

I personally think it's crap.

In response to cofakid's frustration, I would simply offer that perhaps you should measure something else like body fat percentage instead of BMI simply because no matter how large or small you are, it gives you a much more realistic view of where you are with your progress across the board. BMI is often flat out wrong with lean people, but body fat % is much more true for anyone who tests it correctly. I would rather see the progression of a measure that is more accurate for everyone than just people currently my size.

meowy12

It Blows

mikeyrp

BMI stands for "Body Mass Index".

I have some other suggestions:

Bollocks, Mostly Inaccurate
Badly Misinformed Individuals
Basic Moronic Information
Badger My Intestine
Bottom Maggot Indicator

All of which is about as useful as the measure itself. Take a look at the my picture: I'm fit, average build, average height and I'm right at the very top of the normal range!

dreamshadows

It's a highly questionable system.

lormc

But, but the Wii Fit tells me that I am overweight and have to lose another 20 lbs to reach my ideal BMI! However, anyone that knows me, tells me that my weight loss so far is fantastic and not to lose too much more....

Which should I believe?

quepastaaa

Not so much, personally.

I went over both with my doctor. He said that if I lost enough weight to put me in the "healthy BMI" range, that it would actually be far too much. Turns out that according to the BMI I'm obese, but by body fat % I'm actually just overweight.

Clarecbear82

I don't think its that accurate but it doesn't stop me wanting to be in the healthy range especially now I'm at 25.1bmi lol.

As for bmi for kids its ridiculous my 3yr old is quite tall for his age his quite stocky but not fat (ribs and hips show) but because the bmi is for an average child his age they have him as obese. He runs everywhere eats healthy and can carry his 6yr old sister around lol.

lord_lethris

But, but the Wii Fit tells me that I am overweight and have to lose another 20 lbs to reach my ideal BMI! However, anyone that knows me, tells me that my weight loss so far is fantastic and not to lose too much more....

Which should I believe?

Not the Wii.

"Wii fit" is also bollo**s. The BMI is based on the average Japanese person, and without sounding racists, most of them are 4ft nothing and skinny. There was an uproar across europe about "Wii Fit" telling Kids that they were "fat" and "Overweight", when in fact they was not, and causing teen's to diet themselves to a point of an anorectic state, because it continued to tell them they was FAT.

As Lyadeia said earlier, Get your body fat percentage calculated by a professional, instead of BMI calculated by a set of fixed rules than WILL be wrong as everyone is different to the rules.

ingies2011

BMI at a population level is scarily accurate and I think (although am not sure and dont have the papers) that it was intended for use at a population level only.

I have done several economic models for diabetes and CVD over the last 3/4 years using real data for different populations in the UK . (real data for measures including BMI/blood pressure/ hba1c and the resulting consequences - we always modelled the current picture to validate the model - in other words, with the current data, were the outcomes the same.
The higher the BMI, the higher the rate of diabetes/CVD/ emergency attendences etc etc

FWIW, when we were doing these models, we weren't asked to assess whether people were under/over/ideal weights - we were only looking at health outcomes (death/morbidity/ co-morbidities/emergency attendances/seconday care utilisation - outpatient and inpatient.

At an individual level, I would suggest very few people as a proportion of the population are outliers to the point where it doesn't apply (elite rugy/rower/bodybuilder); for most other people, the ranges are wide enough to apply.

+1

When I go to the mall (for example) I see 99% of people for whom the BMI will apply, I think maybe on the MFPcommunity there is a higher proportion of body builders for whom it doesn' t apply, and I think a lot of those people I see in the mall like to say that the BMI doesn;t apply to them because it can say a body builder is obese etc, as they don't like what it says about them. I may be generalizing here but my BIL and sister are like this.

Yes the BMI is based on population studies, but it gives individuals a good indication of where they are, and what there health risks are. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15147999 mean BMI of men being diagnosed with diabetes is 31.8 for example) Other methods of calculating "ideal weights" i have used have come up with a BMI of around 21 for me, so BMI has a much broader and achievable range of weights for the general population.

Kamalka

It is one of many indicators...I use it to know approximately where is my healthy level (otherwise I would not tend to lose weight)...but I am not too strict about it. My goal is to reach 89kg only because it is the highest healthy BMI for my eight.
Making a lot of sport, I wish more to lose fat than weight (muscle I mean)...and I use BMI only because fat level is difficult to measure (nevertheless I check it every week but my measurements are really bad, no doubts about it...I mean I can have a difference of 5% in one day). What is finally important to me is my belly...if I see my abs and weight 93kg, I do not mind....but I will keep on reaching healthy BMI until I see my abs. I went down to 68 kg once, 2 kg before being under healthy BMI....still I was seing myself with reallt too much fat (my family still reminds me I was so slim that it was not beautiful). I know my wife asks me to gain weight if I go down to 83kg, she does not like 'slim" men either, she prefers a good high man a bit overweited. So weight plus BMI plus fat level plus wife's eyes are ok, but BMI alone is non sense to me.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I give the BMI charts the big old middle finger! For me, it's ****, for other people it may work better. I'm naturally dense and muscular, so it always puts me on the high side. If I was striving for mid to low range BMI I'd have to either 1)lose lean mass or 2) lose lean mass and get bf% down into unhealthy %ages.

fteale

I think it has a purpose. It is fairly accurate for most people. I think the purpose it serves is to show people what a healthy weight actually looks like. Most people have an extremely warped idea of what shape humans are meant to be. I was always being told I was slim when I was slightly overweight (BMI 25), now I wasn't fat, but I was a million miles off slim. Most people think fat is normal these days, and BMI is a good way of pointing out that actually, fat is fat.

LeenaRuns

You're better off measuring body fat and overall health.

^^ this ^^

BeautyFromPain

I think it's basically crap.

MrsObundles

I read this article and thought it was really informative. Really cleared it up for me.

fteale

I've posted this a few times, and I have a feeling the nobody actually reads it, but I'll try again.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439&sc=fb&cc=fp

Great article !!

While some of the points are valid, saying it isn't accurate for someone with "strong bones" is a load of twaddle. Your skeleton is a very small % of your overall weight, and bone density doesn't vary appreciably between people.

chrissyKar

BMI is outdated isnt it? cause its more about how much percentage muscle/ fat . really the old pinch test can tell us that ! can tell if too much fat really easily hahahaha :laugh: :happy:

my BMI says I should be 54- 60 something kg but I am most comfortable at 63- 65kg which is meant to be the upper limit !
not sure why

I have a lot of weight to lose to get down to 65kg I dont think i could handle lower :laugh:

LorinaLynn

I think it's fairly accurate for me, but not for a lot of other people I know. I agree that it's better at saying, "this is too skinny," than saying what's overweight, obese, etc.

fiberartist219

The BMI charts are great for my purposes. Of course, I also keep a tape measure handy. Both my scale AND my tape measure say I'm overweight. :happy:

Now.... if both measuring devices weren't in sync, then I might not put so much stock in it. For example, if my waist was only 30 inches, I wouldn't give a crap if I still weighed 155lbs. However, since my waist is MUCH bigger than that number, I will keep trying to workout and keep my calories down.

Yanicka1

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considered overweight using BMI.

I don't think so.

I think BF % is a much better tool

Dragonwolf

i find it frustrating that so many ppl say bmi is bs because if your lean and fit it will be totally wrong. The reason i find it frustrating is ppl just say oh bmi is bs dont go by that but i KNOW i am NOT lean, i am NOT fit, and for me the bmi is a good starting point. I know im overweight from what ive been told by doctors, and bmi gives ppl like me a starting point. i know it doesnt really apply to lean fit people, but for most people who are trying to lose weight its a good starting point. and i think telling people over and over again that bmi is bs makes people think oh my bmi is obesse but everyone says thats bs so i dont need to lose weight when in fact they do. thats just my opinion anyway.

I'd say that for anyone, the BMI scale does NOT provide you with a realistic view of anything. It doesn't take body composition at all into account and has actually been changed over the years (the thresholds for "overweight" and "obese" were actually set to a lower weight back in 1998). It also doesn't distinguish between men and women.

125-165lbs is the threshold of "healthy" for someone that's 5'9" according to the BMI. I used to play basketball, and at 5'9", I couldn't get under 175lb. So even though I was anything but sedentary, and I had been complimented on how skinny I was, the BMI scale still said I was overweight. While I might have been able to go down another 10lbs or so if I really tried, 125lb on even a woman that height looks nearly anorexic (to compare, the Victoria Secret models average about 5'9" and 120lbs).

If you really need a number that tells you, in a nutshell, how healthy you are, you're far better off with body fat percentage.

PBJunky

BMI is like government, it's there but it's a bunch of BS and doesn't really work when you look into it.

I snorted when reading this...so true!

matiak7790

I'm 22, 5'3 and currently 169 lbs, According to the BMI scale I should weigh between 104 and 141 lbs to be considered "normal." I haven't weighed below 140 since before I hit puberty, and I've been an athlete all my life, so as far as I'm concerned, the BMI is absolute nonsense. Don't worry about it, if you feel good and are eating/exercising properly, you should be fine.

rahrahrita

I don't trust it. It's basically just a height and weight ratio, it doesn't tell you anything about your body composition. For me I think it's pretty accurate because the range I'm in corresponds to my body fat percent, but for most people I don't think it's a reliable source to gauge where you are on a fitness level. If you're really worried about it, check your BF %.

DaniKenmir

Not at all, it says my partner is 'morbidly obese' and he's not even what I would call large, it doesn't take into account muscle at all.

GnochhiGnomes

I don't trust it, but I prefer it. Primarily because I'm still obese according to my body fat percentage, but I'm overweight according to BMI.