Asian BMI

Oishii

After talking with someone on my friends list about Asian BMIs, I did some research online and found that different Asian populations have different ranges of 'normal' BMI (ie, the BMI at which the symptoms of being 'overweight' occur is different). My husband is Japanese, so his healthy BMI range is apparently 18.5- 23! More than one study seemed to prove this.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/14676412/?i=2&from=/14557832/related

So, at 165cm, I am 'overweight' at 68kg, but my DH, who is 170cm, is at 66.5kg.

I know BMI isn't the be-all-and-end-all, but as a statistical warning I believe it has its merits, and my DH was completely unaware that the figures were different for him than me, maybe because we have lived away from Japan for 10 years.

I hope this is of benefit to someone else too.

inside_lap

Totally makes since. Thx Oishii!

IvoryParchment

The "normals" are listed as the same for everyone when you go to the doctor, but African Americans have a much wider range of BMIs for a particular body size. The normal BMIs assume everyone has the same percentage of fat, muscle and bone in their bodies. For a small "continent" like Europe, that might hold, but for larger and more varied population groups like Africa and Asia, you see a lot more variation. There's no way Shaquille O'Neill is morbidly obese, for instance.

firedragon064

Asians haver smaller frame so we have lighter weight except me! (and I have C cup). Most asian girls are A cup also.
One of my friend has the same height as me but she has small frame
so event tho we weight almost the same weight, I wear 3 size smaller than her.

BMI is BS any way. I focus on body fat percentage and measurement instead of how many lb I do weight.

Helloitsdan

So you have Fung whos 5'5" 170lbs 40% fat.
And you have Chang whos 5'5" 170lbs 8% fat.

They both show up as Obese II.

Throw BMI away and just measure body fat vs weight.

PS: I'm not trying to be racist with the names...just trying to make the BMI point again on these boards.

qtiekiki

Interesting. I read this article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/14676412/?i=2&from=/14557832/related and I wonder if it still holds true if the Asian person exercises regularly. I know a lot of issues in Asian countries have to do with Asians not exercising regularly.

Brandongood

I agree. BMI is garbage

littlemili

Interestingly (and sticking on the original topic ather than spouting anti-BMI crap, you know, it's only used by every doctor and healthcare insurance company in the world but you guys definitely know best), for Caucasians the 'normal' BMI is 20-25. The 18.5-25 figure is used by the WHO because of course it has to account for all races and ethnicities. It's unfortunate that not more people have access to this information because it would probably stop a lot of Caucasian young women aiming for an unhealthily low weight based on the concept that a BMI of 18.5 is acceptable for them, when in the majority of cases it is not.

Oishii

My scales think I go 'under fat' at the same point as my BMI goes below 20, but that may just be because they're programmed to make the same assumptions.

BMI is about likelihood, not comparisons of individuals. Taking my dh as an example, I suspect he is a little more muscular than most Japanese men, but as Mili said, I would still keep an eye on BMI, as would the WHO.

I must look up the caucasion bottom of normal. I think I could go below a bmi of 20 without too great a risk, but I suspect I would meet opposition from family and friends round about then, so perhaps 20 is right...

inside_lap

Interestingly (and sticking on the original topic ather than spouting anti-BMI crap, you know, it's only used by every doctor and healthcare insurance company in the world but you guys definitely know best), for Caucasians the 'normal' BMI is 20-25. The 18.5-25 figure is used by the WHO because of course it has to account for all races and ethnicities. It's unfortunate that not more people have access to this information because it would probably stop a lot of Caucasian young women aiming for an unhealthily low weight based on the concept that a BMI of 18.5 is acceptable for them, when in the majority of cases it is not.

Well played