Why BMI shouldn't be used.

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HeidiMightyRawr
HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Like a lot of people on here, I don't really believe it BMI. I think it can be a useful tool for the average person but shouldn't be so relied upon, and other measures taken as well.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2129695/Body-Mass-Index-The-Baloney-Mass-Index-Official-tests-said-people-worryingly-overweight-detailed-checks-showed-VERY-different-results.html

The article shows some people who are labelled as overweight on the BMI chart (25 or above) but for whom other tests have shown that they are fit and healthy. One woman had a BMI of 26 but a bodyfat of 24.6%. Before I joined MFP, my BMI was around 22 yet I had a bodyfat of 27.5%! Just goes to show..

Replies

  • RichLove1
    RichLove1 Posts: 97 Member
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    Yeah true, never paid much attention to BMI, I've had weird results from it also. Always use body fat %, seems a much more accurate indication of fitness
  • ladyjoie
    ladyjoie Posts: 165 Member
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    It's a useful tool for populations, but not for individual people. I roll my eyes at it every time.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    I hate the BMI scale! Still! I used it to think about my target weight and now I have a set target of weight and BF%! This will mean I am overweight acording to BMI but I say sod it!! Lol! It is totally rubbish! My OH has a BMI of 18.5 so normal (just) but he feels sick and sometimes colapses because he is so unhealthy!! We are working on this!! Not only that I am about 2 inches shorter than my OH but if I weighed a stone less I would still have a normal BMI!! There is no way!! I would be nothing but bones dressed in skin!! It is rediculus!! The medical profession really needs to get rid of the BMI scale and start working for their money!

    N.B. For all you Americans a stone is 14 pounds!!
  • Schnuddelbuddel
    Schnuddelbuddel Posts: 472 Member
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    Can I side-track a bit with a question? How do you find out your BF%? Do you have a special scale or what do you do?
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    Fit2fat.com\tools

    Use the military body fat calculator its accurate to 1%. It asks u to measure your neck, waist, hips, and input your height and weight then produces ur bf%. I hate bmi. My bf% is down to 28%.healthy is 21%a to 33%. But my bmi is 33.5 which is considered obese almost morbidly obese. How does that make sense?
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
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    Obviously there are going to be outliers, but I think a majority of people fall within it.

    BF% is done by caliper tests by a trained person (trainers at gyms that have been trained)
    You can also input your measurements into websites to get a general idea.
    http://www.gymgoal.com/dtool_fat.html

    Supposedly the scales and hand devices you hold to measure bodyfat are pretty inaccurate.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
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    Fit2fat.com\tools


    hehe at typo

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/
  • Schnuddelbuddel
    Schnuddelbuddel Posts: 472 Member
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    :noway: 42.6% BF for me :sad: here's to changing that. Wow.
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    Fit2fat.com\tools

    Use the military body fat calculator its accurate to 1%. It asks u to measure your neck, waist, hips, and input your height and weight then produces ur bf%. I hate bmi. My bf% is down to 28%.healthy is 21%a to 33%. But my bmi is 33.5 which is considered obese almost morbidly obese. How does that make sense?

    Seriously? 1% accuracy? mine came out at 17.1% last week, followed all the instructions etc. and i was sure it had grossly underestimated me because i'm not THAT lean! i still have wobbly bits :tongue:
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Can I side-track a bit with a question? How do you find out your BF%? Do you have a special scale or what do you do?

    I've always used the scales at boots chemists (UK only I think) Obviously not going to be 100% accurate but I've used them for years and they seem accurate enough.
  • RichLove1
    RichLove1 Posts: 97 Member
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    Body fat scales aren't necessarily inaccurate, they can be but overall will give you a pretty good idea of where you're at and most importantly your progress and in comparison to the BMI they do take in to account your ratio of body fat to overall mass.

    They work by sending an electrical pulse through your body and measures the conductivity/resistance in relation to your mass (fat being more resistant to electricity)

    You'll find your BF%(as shown on the scales) varies throughout the day with hydration levels (as does mass with how much you've eaten or got rid of) but if you measure at the same time each day you get a pretty good indication of where your body fat is at. I got pretty good at predicting mine and my loss down to about 0.1% with regular use.

    They're pretty cheap too at around £50 and well worth buying in my opinion!

    (body fat calipers are more accurate)
  • lau444
    lau444 Posts: 120 Member
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    I agree that the BMI scale is overrated. Nothing gives a clearer picture of your internal health and fitness than a BF measurement and a full-body physical/blood panel.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Seriously? 1% accuracy? mine came out at 17.1% last week, followed all the instructions etc. and i was sure it had grossly underestimated me because i'm not THAT lean! i still have wobbly bits :tongue:

    Other people have also reported the mil bf% was inaccurate for them.
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    My BMI is JUST on the healthy side. (23) I'm pretty sure I don't look overweight or like I'm standing on the edge of it. I've read all over the place not to worry about it. I'ma use my mirror to gauge it! Thanks for the post :)

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