GOV REQ "Obesity Ratings" by 2014 ?!!

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hooah_mj
hooah_mj Posts: 1,004 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can this possibly be true?!

BMI ratings, to be exact. Here's just one of several I found:

"All Americans, by 2014 will be required to have an individual obesity rating electronically recorded. It has been determined that under the new health stimulus law passed by President Barack Obama recently, that all Americans, by 2014, will be required to have electronic health records which will include their height, weight and body mass index (BMI)...."

http://www.huliq.com/10017/government-wants-your-individual-obesity-rating-2014
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Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    BMI is so out dated, it doesnt make any sense
  • kaciemustlose
    kaciemustlose Posts: 14
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    Wow, really! I guess I better get down to a BMI of 25 then...
  • GooBeGone
    GooBeGone Posts: 439 Member
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    that's completely stupid b/c BMI is NOT reliable. if u take 2 ppl the exact same in number all the way around & they both show up as overweight/obese but 1 person has a lot of fat & the other person is all muscle than it's NOT accurate! GEEZE. i personally HATE bmi. i prefer & will take bodfat % ANY time... :grumble:
  • missouri_rain
    missouri_rain Posts: 560 Member
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    I sure hope it's not true, can't see how it could be, some of the fittest athletes are obese if you go by their BMI
  • elmct57
    elmct57 Posts: 594 Member
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    hypocritical, given that we have an overweight Surgeon General...
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Does it matter? Your health records already include your height and weight... and therefore your BMI. This isn't changing anything!
  • jbwegner
    jbwegner Posts: 254 Member
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    Yes, it is true. BMI is the CDC's "preferred method" for determining obesity.
  • dogdaze
    dogdaze Posts: 110 Member
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    If they know your height and weight, anyone can calculate your BMI. Cutting obesity would be an important public health measure but Governments in general are much more interested in population statistics than individual values. Sounds like a real scare story to me.

    By 2014, I am hoping my BMI will be something I can be proud of :happy:
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    They should NOT be going by BMI. My BMI is 27.5 not bad but my body fat is just a little more so I don't think it's that accurate.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    The focus on BMI is missing the point. The point is that they want people to have electronic records in a standard format. This is to improve patient care because your records are easily transferable and easier to read (because the same information is in the same place for everyone). My HCP already does all their recording in electronic form and it's great. All my test results get posted online and I can see them as soon as they are ready and access them at any time.

    Yes, BMI is one of the things required on the form. But, if they put your height and weight on there, they know your BMI whether it's on the form or not as BMI is a simple formula that uses only height and weight as its inputs.

    Whether or not "they" do anything with the BMI depends on your individual doctor(s) and how they feel about BMI as they are the only "they" involved in using the forms.
  • ritodcin03
    ritodcin03 Posts: 105 Member
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    Thanks MacMadame. I was going to write something similar.
  • hooah_mj
    hooah_mj Posts: 1,004 Member
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    just don't let my hubs see my real #s! ha ha ha....

    “The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.”

    http://cnsnews.com/news/article/69436
  • GooBeGone
    GooBeGone Posts: 439 Member
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    i just realized somethin. when i get down to my goal weight of 160 i'll still be classified as overweight according to BMI. :noway: but i betcha my body fat percentage will b abt 18-20%. below what's recommended as the maximum (22%). :huh:
  • p90xokc
    p90xokc Posts: 66
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    They want it for when they start rationing healthcare (which some is already occuring now) You will be punished if you don't match up to your b.m.i. among other things. Eventually you'll have to get to your b.m.i. to earn the right to have the medicine you need.
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
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    just don't let my hubs see my real #s! ha ha ha....

    “The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.”

    http://cnsnews.com/news/article/69436

    Personally I wouldn't put too much stock in an article on CNSNews.com. Being the Conservative..er Cybercast News Service they tend to be overly critical and spend a lot of time on "what ifs" for my taste. Especially where national health care initiatives are concerned.
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
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    They want it for when they start rationing healthcare (which some is already occuring now) You will be punished if you don't match up to your b.m.i. among other things. Eventually you'll have to get to your b.m.i. to earn the right to have the medicine you need.

    Yeesh.. :noway:
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
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    Does it matter? Your health records already include your height and weight... and therefore your BMI. This isn't changing anything!

    Ah, a voice of reason. :wink:
  • mooz
    mooz Posts: 101
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    Does it matter? Your health records already include your height and weight... and therefore your BMI. This isn't changing anything!

    I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I'm missing the point but our BMIs aren't really a secret. I mean...we post our info on a public form - anyone can find out my BMI - I'm female 5'6" and weigh 335lbs. I know this. Everyone on MFP now knows it and my doc. knows it. And ...I'm in Canada which means since our health care is paid for by the govt. They know it too - it's in my medical records that can be reviewed at any time by Health Canada and the Ministry of Health for Ontario.

    I agree that BMI is outdated and I don't like using it to really measure anything but if the govt wants that number...they can have it.
  • rose1617
    rose1617 Posts: 469 Member
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    i just realized somethin. when i get down to my goal weight of 160 i'll still be classified as overweight according to BMI. :noway: but i betcha my body fat percentage will b abt 18-20%. below what's recommended as the maximum (22%). :huh:
    See, this is where the point is made that everyone differs incredibly.
    I'm about the same height as you (actually about an inch or less shorter) and my BMI is under 25, my body fat % is between 21% and 24% and I weigh 143 lbs.
    I've never been 160 lbs., but at 152 I was about 30%.
    My goal weight is 125, and at that point I should likely be at 18% BF, just 3-5% for 15 lbs. I do carry a lot of muscle, though.
    Just goes to show every person will be different.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    BMI is so out dated, it doesnt make any sense

    Totally agree with this, even though one of my tickers does feature my BMI, to be honest, I use it as a guideline and not as the be all and end all of weight.

    I wonder what these electronic records are going to be used for? If the answer is nothing, why the hell are they going to exist? :ohwell:

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