I never realized how worthless the BMI was...

rockylucas
rockylucas Posts: 343 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I myself have worried because I am barely under the BMI overweight threshold of 25. And during my internship at the weight loss center this fall, I have learned how insurance companies rely exclusively on this measure when determining an individuals health and weight loss needs. But even the simplest research has shown what a complete crapshoot it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

I suggest reading beyond just wikipedia, obviously, but the general ideas are all presented.

Did anyone else know that up until the late 1990's a BMI of 27.8 was considered the cutoff for being overweight, until they just "decided" it should be 25?

Stick with your BMR, TDEE, (total daily energy expenditure), and do not worry about your BMI. This really hit me today because I have read so many posts, (especially from other men), who are worried that their BMI wants them to basically become a manorexic, LOL :P

Replies

  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    totally agree.
  • CharlieOverby
    CharlieOverby Posts: 82 Member
    I don't worry about BMR or BMI, I just want to feel good and look decent.
  • kmeekhof
    kmeekhof Posts: 456 Member
    It is a good "guide" for people who are both excessively underweight and obese. Is it ideal? No, but it gives people something to work toward.
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
    thank you for this- :grumble:

    might add, proving again just how inadequate our insurance industry is ;-/ here. so short sighted.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I am seriously offended by insurance companies doing this. I have been a "victim" of this crap before. Last year, I was "overweight" according to BMI (just slightly...25.9) and I was charged more for my insurance. However, I was only 148 pounds and wearing a size 8 clothes. My body fat percentage was in the normal range. I passed a physical fitness test at work in the 90th percentile for the entire department of over 1800 employees (I am a police officer). Yet because I carry my weight in my waist as opposed to my butt like most women tend to do, I didn't keep as much of my take home pay.

    So infuriating...
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    And pretty much every body builder out there is "obese!" What a load of crap....
  • Myrtlemama4
    Myrtlemama4 Posts: 92 Member
    Totally agree with you on that..more focus on the activity and not so much the chart. Good point.
  • Brandzilla
    Brandzilla Posts: 51 Member
    YEAH I agree. I'm "obese" and when i look in the mirror I see a hot slightly overweight chick who exercises a lot and is getting healthier week by week.
  • 1myfit
    1myfit Posts: 69
    That's garbage!
  • CaptainMFP
    CaptainMFP Posts: 440 Member
    If you want an entertaining read, check out this site: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm.

    In addition to various BMI calculators and discussions of data trends with aging (including how the BMI is largely accurate only for young adults (i.e. < 25 yo)), there is the Ideal Weight Calculator which allows you to see what other people of your height, weight, and gender consider their ideal weight. It is interesting that the male ideal is usually outside the healthy BMI range and how the female ideal scrapes the basement of the healthy BMI. Quite interesting. I am not a fan of the BMI, though it does a decent job of correlating with % body fat. My ultimate goals are tied to this latter measure...and I cannot realistically achieve this goal without being solidly in the healthy BMI range for my height. Food for thought, anyway.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    I need to lose 20 more lbs, accodging to my BMI to get out of the "obese" category...........
  • pinkgigi
    pinkgigi Posts: 693 Member
    What is the best calculator then? Is it waist measurement or waist to hip measurement or purely body fat percentage?

    GG
  • rockylucas
    rockylucas Posts: 343 Member
    From my non-expert understanding, if you have access to accurate body fat percentage measurements, then that is the absolute best tool.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    i once heard for a rough estimate, if you can see all your abs, not ripped, but see the whole six pack that puts you at 10%............thats what i am shooting for, because my BF Scale has said 44% every day for the last 90 days in which i have lost 25+ lbs............
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Bigbear, did you hear what that estimate was for females? I've heard 20%, but I disagree since I was at 20% a couple years back and didn't see any definition. I was thin and getting lean, but couldn't see the outline of the abs yet.
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
    Yea thats the first thing we learned in my personal health class, bmi is crap
  • Lozzy_82
    Lozzy_82 Posts: 324 Member
    I realised BMI was unreliable when my mother told me it classed her as overweight. She's about 5'7", a UK size 10 ( I think that's a US 6), is incredibly fit and active and nobody in their right mind would ever class her as overweight. She just has a lot of muscle and not a lot of fat!

    Personally, I am using BMI as a very general guide, but I'm not going to get hung up on it. I will know when I am at a good weight.
  • Scentlessapprentice
    Scentlessapprentice Posts: 170 Member
    Thank you! Now I know I am overweight and there is no denying that fact but according to my BMI I was verging on obese which is just ridiculous. I have no problem admitting i'm a chunky monkey but the figures are just outrageous. For me to have a healthy BMI I am so ridiculously thin that I look ill.

    I'm going by what size I feel good at and if my clothes look good then great :)
  • deex18
    deex18 Posts: 113 Member
    im only 5.1' in height and my healthy bmi which im supposed to be aiming for is practically verging on anorexic.... il prob never get into the healthy range.... i hope to get into the overweight part and keep my curves..... id rather be healthy than focus on this ridiculous scale..... i studied figure diagnosis in college and they based it on bmi and its just ridiculous there was girls in my class s skinny s a rake and were considered overweight..... its so silly if u ask me..... to he healthy and happy are much more important than this scale imo......
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
    BMI Sucks bunghole.

    It lists me as "Overweight", when I am clearly in great shape at 14% Body fat.

    When Arnold won Mr. Olympia, he was listed as OBESE on the BMI scale.

    Don't trust it.
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