Why you shouldn't look at BMI.

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  • kryptonitekelly
    kryptonitekelly Posts: 335 Member
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    True Story.
  • RockChick1984
    RockChick1984 Posts: 239
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    :laugh: i like that... so secretly i'm a muscle woman :wink:
  • CMcBryer
    CMcBryer Posts: 139 Member
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    That is the most succinct way I've ever seen to call BMI garbage! I love it.
  • TheAncientMariner
    TheAncientMariner Posts: 444 Member
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    Perfect analogy! My BF is 24.3% yet my BMI is 32.7 which is considered highly obese... yeah!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Yes... but *most* people are not serious athletes or body builders. BMI is a good baseline for all the 'average' people out there. The healthy BMI range usually accommodates about a 40 pound spread.

    For example, my healthy range is 125.3 - 169.3 lbs. I'm a woman, I lift weights, I have a large frame and dense bones. I feel pretty confident that my healthy weight falls somewhere in that 44 pound range. (I'm 5'9" and weigh about 145 pounds - my BMI is 21.9) I think most people my height would fall nicely in that range.
  • HealthyAlison
    HealthyAlison Posts: 112 Member
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    Yep, it's known to not be reliable for really muscular people. When I look like the one on the left I'll stop looking at BMI.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    It applies a little better for women, but yeah, body fat percentage is WAY better even if all you use are the online calculators that take measurements.
  • suztheq
    suztheq Posts: 171
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    I love this! :smile:
  • strawberrie_milk
    strawberrie_milk Posts: 381 Member
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    I think BMI can apply to the average person, but not to bodybuilders and athletes. I mean, usually if you're in the overweight category, you're probably fat. Body fat % is a better indicator obviously.
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    What BMI actually looks at is your probability of getting a chronic disease. It has actually been show that even though muscular ant fit, it your BMI is higher than 30%you have a higher risk of a chronic disease. I am taking a kinesiology class and we just learned about this last week.
  • janf15
    janf15 Posts: 242 Member
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    I think it may be worthwhile reading this article from a reputable source.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/body-fat-measurement
  • xxcatyxx555
    xxcatyxx555 Posts: 184
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    bmi-comparison.gif

    This.
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
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    afraid I agree with strawberri - I'm not muscle bound- I am 10 lbs away from healthy BMI and also about 10 lbs away from a healthy weight for me.
    IF and when I become a body-builder I will ignore the BMI thing - not that it keeps me awake nights or anything. In fact, I like that fact that I don't sink in the pool - it makes swimming ever so much easier when your body floats readily
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
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    Are you saying that BMI is a reliable indicator of steroid use for those with a low bf%?
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    Great link! Thank you
    I think it may be worthwhile reading this article from a reputable source.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/body-fat-measurement
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    BMI was designed and intended solely for categorizing large population groups. It was never intended, nor is it at all accurate, to track individual people. And that's according to the guy that invented it. So I have never paid attention to BMI.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    BMI was designed and intended solely for categorizing large population groups. It was never intended, nor is it at all accurate, to track individual people. And that's according to the guy that invented it. So I have never paid attention to BMI.

    Exactly.
  • eashelton53
    eashelton53 Posts: 55 Member
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    My BMI is high now because I look more like the man on the right side of the scale. But when I was in the Army weighing a solid 195 my BMI kept me in trouble and I was flagged from recieving a promotion for almost 2 years because of my BMI by military standards. I was what they called a PT stud. In 2 minutes I could do 75 pushups which for my age qualified for 100 points and in 2 minutes I could easily knock out 80 situps which qualified for 100 points and I could run the 2 mile in under 13.30 which qualified for 80 points. With the score of 280 I would max my PT test and even with a six pack I would fail my tape test which would consider me extreamily over weight by military standerds. I mean come on when I was in high school I played inside linebacker for three years, and threw shotput and discus on the track team. I was a big solid kid, that PT test was easy but my weight caused me grief.

    I was told that at 5'9, 195 with 31 inch waist and 15 inch neck that put me at 24% BMI which meant I failed my tape test. I was told by a Sergeant that my neck was too small and to build it up. The only way I knew how was to use weights so I hit the gym hard doing deadlifts, shoulder press, shoulder shruggs with dumb bells and barbells, power cleans, dips and even buying a head harness with a chain that I would hang weights on to work my neck to build up my upper body....

    Well after about a year of doing this I managed to gain about 15 pounds of upper body weight. Which took my BMI up even higher. I would still crush the PT test weigh in at 210 with a 32 inch waist, 17 inch neck, and defined stomach muscles to still be called a fat *kitten* by my 1SGT.To hell with BMI and 1SGT Hill from 226 Maintnance Co. in Ft. Sill Oklahoma, 1999-2000. I will know when I am at my healthy range when I no longer have high blood pressure and sleep apneia.
  • nikkishai
    nikkishai Posts: 407 Member
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    Nice visual

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