Do you believe in this BMI rubbish?

This content has been removed.

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?

My BMI on some calculators tells me I am normal weight and on other calculators tells me that I am overweight. It always just makes me sad. I hate it. It tells my boyfriend that he is obese, almost morbidly obese, even though he has not an ounce of fat on him and is all muscle. I think it is a bunch of bull unless you are very overweight or other extremes like very short with a high weight or very tall with a low weight.

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.

:drinker:

It's a rough and ready easy to calculate guide. As a starting position, it's fine, but like everything else each individual then needs to consider their personal circumstances. Focussing solely on bmi to the extent that you ignore all other factors is clearly "rubbish", but that doesn't mean that bmi has no place in a weight loss regime.

yes this is what I think too.

For most people, BMI is a good guide to where they are at - but of course it has to be taken in context.
If someone is an elite body builder they will be carrying a lot of muscle and their BMI will put them in obese category - but everyone knows that doesn't actually make them obese.
Any doctor who uses BMI without context would be ridiculous.

But for me, and most people, we know our BMI was not out of the range because we carry lots of muscle.

deciding what my goal weight should be included aiming to be within the healthy range for my height or in other words to have a healthy BMI.

My BMI is now 23 and this is a healthier weight than when it was 28.
Of course I could have a BMI of 28 and weigh same as before and have built up lots of muscle - but I know that isn't the case - ie I am using BMI in context.

This thread 'kin hilarious ... loads of folks saying '"Yeah it's a good tool' and then going onto to give examples of how crap it is. - What, so it's NOT a good tool then.. [doh]

It's not always a good tool on an individual level. But it was designed to measure at the individual level, so that doesn't make it a bad tool.