BMI 28 Overweight but 27% Body Fat Healthy

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kittyraj
kittyraj Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I've had a medical checkup done and they sent me my results. Something is confusing me. I have a BMI of 28 which means I am overweight but I have 27% body fat.

I am between 5'7" 5'8" (That's about 170cm I think)

I weigh between 12 - 12stone 3lbs (That's 78kg at heaviest)

The nurse tells me I need to lose weight (BMI)

The doctor tells me I look fine as I have a 28 - 30 inch waist.

So which is it?

Replies

  • aliciab307
    aliciab307 Posts: 370 Member
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    If you've taken any tests and they came back ok ignore the 'advice' to lose weight! Who cares about what the nurse says, and believe the doc! Bmi sucks anyhow, body fat % is better.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    bodyfat is more important than BMI.

    but even more important than that is whether you are happy with your body?
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
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    bodyfat is more important than BMI.

    but even more important than that is whether you are happy with your body?

    ^^^^ this

    27% is in the healthy range for body fat percentage which means you don't have to lose any fat if you don't want to, but it's right at the top of the healthy range which means it's safe for you to lose more fat if you want to. Most women can go right down to 18% and still be healthy, some very athletic women can be healthy at an even lower body fat percentage than that. Personally, I'm at 23% body fat and aiming for 20%.

    At lower body fat percentages you tend to look more lean/"toned", especially if you have a decent amount of muscle from exercise.
  • kittyraj
    kittyraj Posts: 129 Member
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    All my tests came back OK except cholesterol was a bit high for my age group but considered 'normal' because it is a genetic trait. Heart diseases run in my family. Doc said as long as I don't have a belly, I have minimal risk anyway.
  • kittyraj
    kittyraj Posts: 129 Member
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    bodyfat is more important than BMI.

    but even more important than that is whether you are happy with your body?

    Yes, I'm not unhappy with my body. I don't like my arms but I think it is normal for everyone to complain about one or two bodyparts. It's not the end of the world.

    I think lean with six pack is great but my bums and boobs are a feature I'd like to maintain. They are 'where they should be' so I wouldn't want to lose fat and have flappy boobs and worse.. saggy bum.

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