Do BMI's seem unrealistic to anyone else?

bcattoes

Here are the facts. I am currently in recovery week of Insantiy. For those not familar that is the week just before month 2. I currently wear a size 12 and even those are becoming very loose on me. Got some belly fat going on that I'm trying to get rid of thru the program. Measured the waist yesterday and it was 34 inches. Not happy with it, but definitley not the waist of an obese woman.

I'm sorry, but this kind of comment is why we shouldn't say that BMI doesn't work. 34 inches is basically the waist of an an obese person. According to the NHS, "You have a higher risk of health problems if your waist size is more than 80cm (31.5 inches), if you’re a woman." "Your risk of health problems is even higher if your waist size is more than 88cm (34.5 inches), if you’re a woman." See: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/849.aspx?CategoryID=51

And no, abs don't make your waist that much bigger. If your waist is >31 inches, you're probably overweight. If your waist is >34 inches, you're probably obese. For most people, that will match up with the BMI ranges.

So why is my waist 30 inches but my body fat is 35% so I'm really overweight?

"overweight" is just that, you weigh too much based on population statistics. It is possible to weigh too much and not have too much body fat. It is also possible not to weigh too much but have too much body fat.

CristinaL1983

I am overweight. I am not obese. I would even go so far as to say high end overweight. I am in not in denial. Maybe my perception of obese and what others think is skewed. To me obese is a person whose weight is affecting their life. ex- can't ride the roller coaster, has to buy 2 seats on an airplane. Gets winded going up stairs. In other words, their weight has become a hinderance to their lives.. Is that the disconnect here. Is my perception of obese different than what it really is? I truly can't wrap my head around me being obese and when I tell people i'm obese they laugh at me. So its not just me saying it, others are as well.

Well technically the "definition" of obesity is BMI over 30. But usually it just means it has a severe health impact. "Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems." according to Wikipedia. So yeah, that isn't really what you think it is.

Got complete blood work last year. Passed everything with flying colors. So I'm guessing my 'obesity' isn't effecting my health. Still can't wrap my head around being obese. Overweight Yes.

Its funny(strange). I have a friend who is at the lower range of overweight.. Would only need to lose about 10 pounds to get to the normal level and she looks about 20 pounds heavier than I do. On paper she is fine. Just a tad overweight. She does not exercise. Go figure. So I guess my perception of what is obese is wrong. How do I explain the size 12 i currently wear that is slowly becoming too large. I feel like i need therapy now. :sad:

Clothing size isn't a good indicator of health or even weight. I wear anything from an 8-12 depending on the brand and fit and am overweight (edit 2 lbs over healthy BMI, 12 lbs over goal). When I was wearing a 12-16, I was bordering on obese.

thistimesucess

I am 5 foot 3 inches and it says I should weigh 111-148. My goal weight is 150. I look good at this weight. I would look nasty at 111! But its the way I am built. I have larger hips, thighs and butt. When I am 150 people always think I weigh less than that. In my opinon its not all about the numbers. Its how you look and feel

This is exactly what I think. I've tried really hard and never got below the top of my BMI. Also when I am at the top people comment that I look too skinny, I've spent years feeling awful about my weight because I'm not that magic figure - but now I realise how good I actually look at the top range weight, it's different for everyone.

cubbies77

BMI doesn't figure in cup size either. I read that a woman with D or DD breasts is carrying an extra 8-10 pounds of weight. Since you can't lose weight from your breasts (once they're down to their natural size, of course), worrying about those extra few pounds isn't worth it. The only way to lose that weight would be a surgical reduction. Nobody can blame you for being heavier in the chest.

CristinaL1983

BMI doesn't figure in cup size either. I read that a woman with D or DD breasts is carrying an extra 8-10 pounds of weight. Since you can't lose weight from your breasts (once they're down to their natural size, of course), worrying about those extra few pounds isn't worth it. The only way to lose that weight would be a surgical reduction. Nobody can blame you for being heavier in the chest.

It's actually 1 lb per cup (total) So if you wear a D that's 4 extra lbs (1/2 lb per breast/cup size).

LiftAllThePizzas

I would have to get down to 140 lbs to have a mid range BMI, that is just not realistic. I would be comfortable at 160-170 but that still puts me at overweight BMI. Are BMI a realistic measuring tool for most people?

Some people are comfortable smoking two packs a day or drinking 24 cans of beer a day. That doesn't make it healthy.

AmyW125

My BMI puts me as over weight too. Drives me crazy!!! My Dr. believes in the BMI charts!! Tells me every visit I need to lose at least 20 more pounds...:noway:

aliciaje

Here I am in a size 6 dress at Banana Republic, 5'4 BMI 29.3. Yes I still am trying to lose weight (why else would I be here) but for me, BMI is NOT realistic. I am aiming for a BMI of 25-26.

ryry_

From US department of Health and Human servieces National Institute of health concerning the limitations of BMI.

Although BMI can be used for most men and women, it does have some limits:
•It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
•It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle.

hiyomi

Yep, even if I get to my goal weight at 180, I think I was still under obese or overweight >_< I think I barely fit into the overweight category.

dimsumkitty

Any of the below can be an indicator for obesity:

BMI 30+
Waist 40+ for men or 34.5+ for women (37 and 31.5 according to the EU, and down to 33.5-35 for Asian men)
Waist-to-hip ratio 0.9+ for men or 0.85+ for women
Body fat percentage cutoff can be 25%-30%+ in men, or 30%-40%+ in women (most accurate if you can access the high end equipment)

Note that also generally, the US has higher cutoffs than Europe because of differences in what is considered "normal" or "average" health.

If in doubt, use all of these in combination. BMI is a good estimate by itself though, unless you have access to underwater body fat percentage measuring. That's why it's used.

For reference, that means the last 4 pictures in this image are considered obese to various extents:

ChgingMe

My BMI puts me as over weight too. Drives me crazy!!! My Dr. believes in the BMI charts!! Tells me every visit I need to lose at least 20 more pounds...:noway:

Is your profile pic you?? Wow. we should all be so overweight.

verdancyhime

Is someone else's expectations for what your body should look like using a survey conducted before you were born an accurate representation of what your body should look like today? Is that a better representation of your health and risk factors for disease than someone who knows what your daily routines are like and has actually seen your body can make?

The answer to both questions is obviously no, and any medical professional who hasn't learned the values of common sense and treating patients like people who face unique challenges to their health based on their lifestyles and biological quirks is not one I want treating me.

BMI is not total crap, and if you have no clue what you're aiming for, it's a good place to start. But I've met people who had a healthy BMI who were obviously living a lifestyle that took a huge toll on their body, I've met people at an "overweight" or "underweight" BMI who looked fine, were active, ate healthy, etc.

Charts are never a substitute for critical thinking- If you were calculating your BMR and eating below it, but not losing weight for several months, you'd either adjust the way you counted your calories or eat less or more, right? Because your BMR might vary slightly from average.It's not that the equation you were using was BS, or that your body is somehow defying the laws of thermodynamics, it's just that the chart is based on an average and you are an individual, and suddenly you eat a little more or a little less and BING! you found your "sweet spot" calorically. If I get 8 hours of sleep a night, I feel like crap on a crap cracker, If I get 4-5 hours of sleep a night I feel great. I'm not going to keep sleeping for 8 hours a night just because it's the RDA of sleep if it doesn't work for me!

Most medical professionals agree that BMI is an easy, offhand tool to start deciding if someone is overweight, but it's only one tool in the arsenal. Don't get so caught up on any one measurement that you lose sight of why you are doing this- I'm 90% sure all of us are getting in better shape so we can be healthier, feel better, and look nicer, and that type of quality of life is not measured by a number.

LydiaShackelford

I just blogged about this! Yay!!! Check it out here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LydiaFair10/view/nine-pounds-from-my-first-goal-why-you-shouldn-t-always-listen-to-your-doctor-512960

ChgingMe

Is someone else's expectations for what your body should look like using a survey conducted before you were born an accurate representation of what your body should look like today? Is that a better representation of your health and risk factors for disease than someone who knows what your daily routines are like and has actually seen your body can make?

The answer to both questions is obviously no, and any medical professional who hasn't learned the values of common sense and treating patients like people who face unique challenges to their health based on their lifestyles and biological quirks is not one I want treating me.

BMI is not total crap, and if you have no clue what you're aiming for, it's a good place to start. But I've met people who had a healthy BMI who were obviously living a lifestyle that took a huge toll on their body, I've met people at an "overweight" or "underweight" BMI who looked fine, were active, ate healthy, etc.

Charts are never a substitute for critical thinking- If you were calculating your BMR and eating below it, but not losing weight for several months, you'd either adjust the way you counted your calories or eat less or more, right? Because your BMR might vary slightly from average.It's not that the equation you were using was BS, or that your body is somehow defying the laws of thermodynamics, it's just that the chart is based on an average and you are an individual, and suddenly you eat a little more or a little less and BING! you found your "sweet spot" calorically. If I get 8 hours of sleep a night, I feel like crap on a crap cracker, If I get 4-5 hours of sleep a night I feel great. I'm not going to keep sleeping for 8 hours a night just because it's the RDA of sleep if it doesn't work for me!

Most medical professionals agree that BMI is an easy, offhand tool to start deciding if someone is overweight, but it's only one tool in the arsenal. Don't get so caught up on any one measurement that you lose sight of why you are doing this- I'm 90% sure all of us are getting in better shape so we can be healthier, feel better, and look nicer, and that type of quality of life is not measured by a number.

I love you! For you:flowerforyou:

nwg74

The BMI formula has been around for 200 years for populations not individuals. It was renamed to BMI in the 70's and suddenly suitable for individuals.

BMI is not realistic to me.

CoachReddy

Here I am in a size 6 dress at Banana Republic, 5'4 BMI 29.3. Yes I still am trying to lose weight (why else would I be here) but for me, BMI is NOT realistic. I am aiming for a BMI of 25-26.

why are you trying to lose weight if you don't think you're overweight? this is what confuses me.

finallydetermined

My daughter is a high-performance athlete (competitive swimmer) who has a body fat % far below what is recommended for her age however she eats more then I every could (she's only 15). She can swim fly for an hour without issue!!! She was playing on a friends Wii and it "measured" the BMI based on her height and weight and it said she was at the top end of healthy bordering on overweight!!!!! She laughed....so at 15 to know the tool is completely useless should tell everyone something.....putting in two or three numbers to define "health" cannot. It does not account for your activity level, body fat, body frame, etc.

Measurements, determining your body fat percent and how you feel are the best indicators of "healthy weights"

Good luck!!!

Yep - same thing happened to my niece when she was in high school. She was annorexic and had a perfectly healthy BMI because of her muscle mass since she was an athlete. The poor thing had major health problems because of the damage from annorexia but if you looked only at her BMI she was perfect

aliciaje

When did I say I didn't think I was overweight?

I am just making a point that for me, an overweight BMI (26) is a healthy weight.