BMI Tool -- BS!

I'm five foot one 1/2. Using the BMI calculator, when I weighed 270, I was SUPER morbidly obese.

At my current weight of 255, I am merely morbidly obese.

Lovely.

Oh, it gets worse. At my goal weight of 135, I am STILL considered overweight!

My IDEAL weight is 100 pounds?!!

Bullsh*t.

I am right there with you, give or take adjusting a few numbers.

Starting weight - 230lbs.
Goal weight - 150lbs.

Still "overweight" according to BMI standards. OH WELL! I have curves, dang it! =P

I have said this before. The BMI tool is over 100 years old and is a load of crap. When I was in the Army I weighed 200-205 lbs with body fat range of 15-17% But according to the BMI I was obese. 15% BF is a great BF so I say if you fall under the "normal" frame go ahead and use if not, like me, just ignore it and any doctor that uses it like a bible.

I didn't read the comments yet, but doesn't the BMI have a 35 pound range, so that means depending on body type your healthy place could be somewhere different on the chart. No need to be at the low end if that's not right for you (clearly it would not be). It's just a guideline for anyone that falls on either end of the extreme to stay within the healthy range. One person would not be at the right weight within a 35 pound range. I would think the range means different people are healthy at the right place for them within that range. We are all different.

I'm going to disagree with the majority and say that, for the most part, BMI is a very useful tool. Here's why

1) BMI is designed to cover a range of frame sizes and body types. It accounts for fine boned people that weigh less naturally, and larger framed people that don't. Prior to the adoption of BMI, the standard was, for women: at 5' you should weigh 100 lbs. add 5 lbs for every inch thereafter. A 5'3" woman should weigh 115. Ridiculous.

2) BMI is used every day to assess millions of Americans, the vast majority of whom exercise sporadically or not at all. It is a very useful tool for these people.

3) it is expensive and impractical to measure body fat in a medical setting.

4) the only people for whom BMI doesn't work are athletes and very fit people. These people are obviously not overweight. No reasonable medical professional will think so.