Do you believe in this BMI rubbish?

fitnessqueen91
fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
in Motivation and Support
I can't understand why BMI is still used! Everywhere it's still used. I read this article that this guy who lost 17stone was denied surgery to removed excess skin by the NHS because his BMI was too high despite the fact that he had a lot of muscle and he did not look overweight in the slightest. My BMI is 27- 27.5, and it always gets me down. My friends tell me that I'm a healthy weight but I never believe them. Even when I was skinny my BMI was 23! I really think that BMI takes the mickey and doesn't take into account muscle, frame, bone structure, fitness levels etc. BMI was invented like 200 years ago when people were a lot smaller and a lot malnourished and had smaller frames and less bone density as a result. Plus I thought in those times fat was seen as good and healthy.

What are your views on BMI?
«1

Replies

  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Nope,

    <<<<<<<Morbidly Obese.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I think BMI has value as a quick and easy indicator for people who are not at the extremes (really short, really tall, really muscular). It has wide ranges for "healthy", and is relevant for most people, I believe, plus you don't need any special equipment or more than 2 minutes to calculate.

    But then, it's only one metric, and realistically, I don't believe you can boil down the diversity of human shape, size and composition to one number.
  • theoncomingstorm6464
    theoncomingstorm6464 Posts: 116 Member
    BMI is not very accurate. My BMI states I'm obese, but my doctor has never told me I was obese. I have very broad chest and shoulders and short. If you google Ronnie Coleman, Mr Olympia, He has a BMI of 41, but it's all muscle.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I can't understand why BMI is still used! Everywhere it's still used. I read this article that this guy who lost 17stone was denied surgery to removed excess skin by the NHS because his BMI was too high despite the fact that he had a lot of muscle and he did not look overweight in the slightest. My BMI is 27- 27.5, and it always gets me down. My friends tell me that I'm a healthy weight but I never believe them. Even when I was skinny my BMI was 23! I really think that BMI takes the mickey and doesn't take into account muscle, frame, bone structure, fitness levels etc. BMI was invented like 200 years ago when people were a lot smaller and a lot malnourished and had smaller frames and less bone density as a result. Plus I thought in those times fat was seen as good and healthy.

    What are your views on BMI?

    BMI does as it's supposed to, it's for populations and actually isn't too bad for sedentary individuals
  • Fat2FitMyDrive
    Fat2FitMyDrive Posts: 83 Member
    I think it can be a tool just like anything else. There are to many variables for it to be completely accurate such as water weight, muscle mass, etc etc. However, you cam measure your bf % the old fashioned way "pinch test" and honestly to me that is a better gauge of your overall progress! How can a little handle you hold in hand possibly measure your bmi accurately... LOL!
  • BookofJarom
    BookofJarom Posts: 14 Member
    Yeah...it seems BMI can be a decent guide, but it has significant flaws.

    Example: My older brother is quite a bit heavier (40 or 50 pounds, perhaps) than I am. But it's not fat--it's pure beef...MUSCLE. He's in fantastic shape. I'm in the "normal" BMI range, and I wouldn't be surprised if his BMI showed him as "overweight" or at least borderline between "normal" and "overweight".

    Another example: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently he's "obese" on the BMI charts.
    See http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20460621_4,00.html
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    What are your views on BMI?

    For the vast majority of people, it is a decent indicator of fat level. Like all statistic based measures, there will be outliers. Bodybuilders, especially men, will likely be outliers. It's much less likely for a woman to have a high BMI and not have too much fat.

    BMI is not a measure of health, it's an indicator of body fat. Body fat can influence health, but it's still just one variable. It is unfortunate that some insurance companies use it incorrectly, but that is not the fault of the calculation, which has pretty good statistics to back it up as a population based measure.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    BMI works for 90% of the population. If you're outside of the range of the population for whom it works, you already know you are and can adjust for it.

    It's not rubbish, but it's not an end-all-be-all for weight either.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
    What are your views on BMI?

    For the vast majority of people, it is a decent indicator of fat level. Like all statistic based measures, there will be outliers. Bodybuilders, especially men, will likely be outliers. It's much less likely for a woman to have a high BMI and not have too much fat.

    BMI is not a measure of health, it's an indicator of body fat. Body fat can influence health, but it's still just one variable. It is unfortunate that some insurance companies use it incorrectly, but that is not the fault of the calculation, which has pretty good statistics to back it up as a population based measure.

    I would have to disagree, in my latest body composition test It showed a BF% of 19% and indicated I had 4 lbs of excess fat left to lose. But based on BMI I am still class 1 Obese.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    What are your views on BMI?

    For the vast majority of people, it is a decent indicator of fat level. Like all statistic based measures, there will be outliers. Bodybuilders, especially men, will likely be outliers. It's much less likely for a woman to have a high BMI and not have too much fat.

    BMI is not a measure of health, it's an indicator of body fat. Body fat can influence health, but it's still just one variable. It is unfortunate that some insurance companies use it incorrectly, but that is not the fault of the calculation, which has pretty good statistics to back it up as a population based measure.

    I would have to disagree, in my latest body composition test It showed a BF% of 19% and indicated I had 4 lbs of excess fat left to lose. But based on BMI I am still class 1 Obese.

    So, what is it that you disagree with exactly?
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
    What are your views on BMI?

    For the vast majority of people, it is a decent indicator of fat level. Like all statistic based measures, there will be outliers. Bodybuilders, especially men, will likely be outliers. It's much less likely for a woman to have a high BMI and not have too much fat.

    BMI is not a measure of health, it's an indicator of body fat. Body fat can influence health, but it's still just one variable. It is unfortunate that some insurance companies use it incorrectly, but that is not the fault of the calculation, which has pretty good statistics to back it up as a population based measure.

    I would have to disagree, in my latest body composition test It showed a BF% of 19% and indicated I had 4 lbs of excess fat left to lose. But based on BMI I am still class 1 Obese.

    So, what is it that you disagree with exactly?

    That for the vast majority its an indicator of body fat, If I was to base my findings using the BMI it would tell a completely different story than what is really going on... and I would assume I am not in the minority.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    It's not so bad. You want to be <10% BF and morbidly obese at the same time. :o)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    What are your views on BMI?

    For the vast majority of people, it is a decent indicator of fat level. Like all statistic based measures, there will be outliers. Bodybuilders, especially men, will likely be outliers. It's much less likely for a woman to have a high BMI and not have too much fat.

    BMI is not a measure of health, it's an indicator of body fat. Body fat can influence health, but it's still just one variable. It is unfortunate that some insurance companies use it incorrectly, but that is not the fault of the calculation, which has pretty good statistics to back it up as a population based measure.

    I would have to disagree, in my latest body composition test It showed a BF% of 19% and indicated I had 4 lbs of excess fat left to lose. But based on BMI I am still class 1 Obese.

    So, what is it that you disagree with exactly?

    That for the vast majority its an indicator of body fat, If I was to base my findings using the BMI it would tell a completely different story than what is really going on... and I would assume I am not in the minority.

    But you are not the vast majority, you are one person. Most people with a high BMI are indeed over fat.
  • deliacm
    deliacm Posts: 66 Member
    Any index of body mass that doesn't account for body composition is rubbish, pure and simple!

    http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/26/why-bmi-isnt-the-best-measure-for-weight-or-health/
  • Oscarinmiami
    Oscarinmiami Posts: 326 Member
    no
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
    I can't understand why BMI is still used!
    If you use your knowledge wisely, it can be quite an affordable tool.

    I'm confused regarding the purpose of your post. The title says "Do you believe in this BMI rubbish?", then you state what I quoted, and finally you ask for our thoughts on the topic.
  • jasonheyd
    jasonheyd Posts: 524 Member
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    Still the medical community uses this as their guide.
  • nomad1966
    nomad1966 Posts: 74
    BMI concept is great for the average person with average "this and that"......
    For anyone not fitting in with the "average" crowd (90% of the planet doesn't)....bmi is right the f%#€ out of'r

    The pic of me in the orange shirt.... BMI is well over 30...wtf
    I'd be in the hospital if I got my BMI down to the magic 25.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    my daughter is 7 and has defined abs because she's just an active kid and she's skinny enough to see her musculature. her BMI is high. my 4 year old's BMI is also high. i don't put too much stock into it. and thankfully, neither does my pediatrician. he always tells me, 'look, we have policies and i have to tell you about healthy diet and exercise due to their BMI, but they are FINE. look at them. they are both very active, healthy and well within what we'd call normal range. don't worry about it, it is an arbitrary measure that obviously does not matter in their case.' or some iteration of this.

    my daughter was a preemie to boot and has always been behind on the growth charts and so while she's only in like the 10th percentile of her peers, she is still an 'obese' kid and has been since age 2.

    point is, i take it with a grain of salt.
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    BMI is only good if you don't have any significant muscle build. If it puts you in the overweight/obese category check your waist. Don't know what the numbers are for that but you can look it up. If your waist is below a certain size but your BMI is high you have nothing to worry about,...but if your waist is to big also,.. it's probably right.

    My BMI is accurate,.. I'm overweight. (don't have much muscle to speak of)
  • msbeeblebrox
    msbeeblebrox Posts: 133 Member
    I'm 26 years old. At 22, I lost forty pounds, getting down to 155. I've maintained that weight (5 lbs over the normal weight for my height which is 5'5'') for the past four years, and am now curious about dropping body fat a little lower. I don't think that I'm unhealthier than someone who's my height and fifteen pounds lighter. My doctor is happy with my weight, and my numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate, etc) are great. I'm slim with an athletic build and a good amount of muscle. But I also have some fat covering up that muscle. BMI obviously isn't the best way to measure things, but there's not one single method that's totally reliable and numbers are going manifest themselves in different ways for a variety of people.
  • Tomboly1
    Tomboly1 Posts: 42
    It doesn't work for me. I remember when I was a teenager and struggling with an eating disorder, I am 5'7" weighed 118 at my lowest which made me look like skin and bones. My BMI at the time (18.5) would have indicated I was just at the bottom of normal even though I was clearly malnourished. The healthiest weight I was at was 150 (my goal weight now) which is at the other end of normal (23.5). So I am not an extreme outlier but I can't really use it to gauge what a healthy appearance is for me.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    BMI is supposed to be for "normal" people. LeBron James is almost obese according to BMI.

    The majority of people don't have a lot of muscle build so that's the use for BMI.
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
    I go by body fat % only, BF, BMI is not on my radar.
  • ncrugbyprop
    ncrugbyprop Posts: 96 Member
    There was a great article in Slate that discussed the history of the BMI from its origination as a tool for statistical population analysis back in the 19th century and how it has been co-opted by the government and insurance and health industries as an individual health analysis tool.

    http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2009/07/beyond_bmi.html

    As a statistical tool, BMI can work well for defining a population weight dynamics. As it is frquently being used today as an individual health assesment tool, it is completely absurd.
  • DebSM2
    DebSM2 Posts: 62 Member
    I don't trust nuthin' made by nobody named Adolphe.

    *realizes he plays saxophone*

    Damn.




    BMI is totally misused and misunderstood today - it was specifically designed to address sedentary populations. That's it. Throw the slightest drop of exercise in the mix and it goes out the window. It's a good approximation for a person's general level of fitness if they are not currently exercising and can be less embarrassing of a benchmark to set than, say, using skinfold calipers on a morbidly obese person. It's a rough reference point at best, and only useful when examining a population that does not engage in physical activity.


    To say nothing of someone who plays sax...

    :)

    *looking down nose at someone who plays an instrument young enough that the original maker's name is known*

    About 10 lbs. from being simply "overweight" myself...but I certainly don't feel obese anymore...but again I am using BMI to set my goal weight, so...yes and no, I both do and don't buy into BMI...

    What do you expect from a "French" horn player?
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    It's not rubbish at all for the majority of people.

    Very muscular, athletic people are the exception, but those people aren't generally the ones complaining about BMI. They know their body fat is low and they are not overweight in any meaningful sense.

    Most people who I see here disparaging BMI, though, are people who DO have extra fat, honestly.

    If you're concerned, test your body fat, because that's a better indicator of health than BMI. Doesn't make BMI meaningless, though. I really think a lot of people have lost perspective on what "normal" actually should be on a non-athlete (and most people who exercise moderately really aren't athletes, either.) It's usually a lot lighter than they think. Not trying to criticise, just an observation.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
    I can't understand why BMI is still used! Everywhere it's still used. I read this article that this guy who lost 17stone was denied surgery to removed excess skin by the NHS because his BMI was too high despite the fact that he had a lot of muscle and he did not look overweight in the slightest. My BMI is 27- 27.5, and it always gets me down. My friends tell me that I'm a healthy weight but I never believe them. Even when I was skinny my BMI was 23! I really think that BMI takes the mickey and doesn't take into account muscle, frame, bone structure, fitness levels etc. BMI was invented like 200 years ago when people were a lot smaller and a lot malnourished and had smaller frames and less bone density as a result. Plus I thought in those times fat was seen as good and healthy.

    What are your views on BMI?

    So don't use it as an indicator then?
    I know I need to use a few pounds and I grind my teeth when my Wii Fit insists on telling me what my BMI should, be.
    Use scales, and the measuring tape instead.
    Use your clothes as an indicator instead.
  • kitticus15
    kitticus15 Posts: 152 Member
    I am using BMI as an indicator of something to work towards, I know that I can never be in the healthy BMI range as when this happens I am anorexic, but what annoys me is that the NHS use this tool and only this tool, I have to tell them to check my records or they will force me back into anorexia, for me even at a sedentary level BMI is dangerous, it also seems to be a thing that runs through my family, all the women are a deemed as obese when BMI is checked but when you look at them they look healthy, not fat.

    In conclusion BMI can be used as a guide along with healthy eating, exercise and some very good healthy option recipes and fun do not underestimate having a good old belly laugh, that helps.

Categories