BMI for African Americans/Blacks/Browns

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Replies

  • esphixiet
    esphixiet Posts: 214 Member

    I like to edit to add.

    As a black man...I am jealous of white men Calves..

    Damnit!

    Please don't be jealous!!!! White dudes calves are usually too thin unless they DO something about it!

    Love your body :)
  • fay_pigu
    fay_pigu Posts: 125 Member
    Another issue with BMI is Black muscle and bone density is higher than White, that would add some mass.

    Had an ex who said this was (partly) why there were no top black swimmers, although her main argument was the chlorine damaged her hair. All generalisations of course, I'm pasty white and can't swim a stroke.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    Using BMI as a measuring stick for fitness is ridiculous, whether you are comparing yourself against others in the same ethnic, national, linguistic or knitting group.

    ETA: Jimmy the Greek would love this thread.
  • clover5
    clover5 Posts: 1,643 Member
    Agreeing with all that BMI isn't the best indicator of whether you're healthy and fit or not. There are studies that show that different races have different BMIs but have the same body fat percentage, which is a better indicator.

    http://www.halls.md/bmi/race.htm

    So from this study, it does seem like Black people have a higher healthy BMI than white people, which I believe what most BMI standards are based on.

    An interesting article. I'm not to hung up on BMI. I remember what my best weight was, and I know where I need to go. I'd rather just stick with the old reliable pounds and inches. That said, I have always been more muscular that other white gals my age. I cannot get to the weight indicated at the low end of the BMI. Even in my 20s when I was skinny and ran several times weekly, that number was impossible for me. So forget the charts. When others start checkin out your body, you'll know your BMI is just right.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    I'm black/brown, heavy in the hips and thighs, and still a healthy bmi. They give a range for a reason. Some ethnicities will be on the lower end and some on the higher. Unless your bodyfat is low and you're very muscular (more so will only apply to men as women can't put on much muscle) you should fit in the bmi scale.

    I know a lot of people disagree with the scales but they are pretty accurate for the average person. Usually overweight people in severe size denial say "screw bmi!#@!"

    Another thing is a lot of black women feel like they need to be big and "have some meat on them" a lot of women like to tell me I'm getting to skinny even when I could lose more. Try to diet with your own personal goals and don't listen to any naysayers :flowerforyou:
  • ShannanRenae
    ShannanRenae Posts: 130
    BMI is a crock of $hitscum. You want to go off of Body Fat Percentage.

    I suggest using the US Navy measuring.
    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

    Ensure that you measure correctly,

    ^this=yes.

    Black people in the South don't need their own standard of measurement. Just...no.

    What is culturally acceptable/attractive has naught to do with fitness.


    Great info!!!
  • ShannanRenae
    ShannanRenae Posts: 130
    I'm black/brown, heavy in the hips and thighs, and still a healthy bmi. They give a range for a reason. Some ethnicities will be on the lower end and some on the higher. Unless your bodyfat is low and you're very muscular (more so will only apply to men as women can't put on much muscle) you should fit in the bmi scale.

    I know a lot of people disagree with the scales but they are pretty accurate for the average person. Usually overweight people in severe size denial say "screw bmi!#@!"

    Another thing is a lot of black women feel like they need to be big and "have some meat on them" a lot of women like to tell me I'm getting to skinny even when I could lose more. Try to diet with your own personal goals and don't listen to any naysayers :flowerforyou:

    Thanks Victoria!!! Im a size 10 & Im 5,7 so I think I look damn good!!!!
  • airlily
    airlily Posts: 212 Member
    There have been studies stating european and asian women are more likely to have osteoporosis because of lower bone density, so maybe you are supposed to weigh more? I don't really know. I tend to avoid doctors that put a lot of stock in your health based on your ethnicity; it almost killed my mother twice. She's A negative, my brother and I are O positive, and each time she had to tell the doctors to give her the shot post birth. >.<
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    BMI is a crock of $hitscum. You want to go off of Body Fat Percentage.

    I suggest using the US Navy measuring.
    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

    Ensure that you measure correctly,

    ^this=yes.

    Black people in the South don't need their own standard of measurement. Just...no.

    What is culturally acceptable/attractive has naught to do with fitness.

    ^^^ This!

    I'm white (some say reflective), and I'm very hippy (carry all my weight in my hips and thighs), and I have a huge butt. I know many women of color who are petite. There's really no stereotype when looking at the population as a whole. Women of all colors come in all sizes.

    BMI is only part of the story. Body fat %, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio are all indicators of body size that are correlated with health markers. If you are comfortable at your size, under 30% body fat, and are active, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

    EDIT: I somehow missed where your body fat percentage is 41%. If I were you, I'd make it a goal to get that number down. That can be accomplished by losing fat weight and doing some body recomposition. This will mean heavy weight training and maintaining a small calorie deficit. Ideally, you should be under 30% for long-term health.

  • I like to edit to add.

    As a black man...I am jealous of white men Calves..

    Damnit!

    Please don't be jealous!!!! White dudes calves are usually too thin unless they DO something about it!

    Love your body :)

    I love skinny white boy calves, lol. Speaking of, one of my white friends was laughing at me because my legs are whiter than his, and I'm Latino.
  • mzfitns
    mzfitns Posts: 6 Member
    Your BMI doesn't address muscle in the body in proportion to fat. So throw out BMI if your waist size is at or below 35inches, unless your shorter than 5'5. But the BF is the true indicator through out all different body types. So at 41% you are about 11% over fat. Great job on all the blood work , your activity and lifestyle is showing!
  • neti_call
    neti_call Posts: 81 Member
    By American Standards I am 2.3% overweight, I should be weighing around 155, which means I need 2 lose about 20 lbs...I weighed 174.2, BMI was 27.3, BP was 110/74, Total Cholesterol was 117, HDL 58, nonHDL 59, Glucose 73, my fat was 41.2%, I am suppose to be in a range of 21-33%, Fat Mass was 71.81, suppose 2 be 27.2-50.41 range & they said I shud eat 1565 to maintain my weight...EXCUSE ME, BUT WHERE IS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK & BROWN FOLKS BODY MASS INDEX LOCATED??? Cuz the folks in the south say Im a HEALTHY weight & I think I nd 2 create anotha type of BMI!!!!!!!! I am heavy in the hips & thighs & I think I look good just like I am, these standards are so not realistic!!!! BMI 4 Blacks is a need, we are circumferenced different!!!!!
    BMI doesn't matter, but body fat does, and at 41%, that's way too high, no matter what your racial background.

    BMI is only intended for large population studies, not individual people.

    Agreed, 41% is too high. You can be curvy and healthy and not have 41% body fat.
  • dhoody
    dhoody Posts: 49
    Great info glad we can discuss...BTW curves are Great!!!!
  • Chameleone
    Chameleone Posts: 281 Member
    I get what your saying, My mamma keeps telling me the same thing.
    I don't like to follow BMI for that reason! Someone mentioned bone density. In my family we all run a little heavy. I have a 2 year old niece, the size of a regular 2 year old but heavier, and you wouldn't know how heavy she was till you picked her up! My mom says we were all the same way and so was she, we have heavy bones. I think it's deceiving so I try to only compare myself to myself!
  • mzfitns
    mzfitns Posts: 6 Member
    Well said Tasha!
  • TyB73
    TyB73 Posts: 39 Member
    I posted this article for my friends the other day. According to the BMI just about every runningback in the NFL and even Michael Jordan in his prime are in the overweight range. It doesn't take into account body type or muscle mass at all. Folks who are mesomorphic are rated overweight when they are in excellent physical health.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/how-accurate-body-mass-index-bmi
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    By American Standards I am 2.3% overweight, I should be weighing around 155, which means I need 2 lose about 20 lbs...I weighed 174.2, BMI was 27.3, BP was 110/74, Total Cholesterol was 117, HDL 58, nonHDL 59, Glucose 73, my fat was 41.2%, I am suppose to be in a range of 21-33%, Fat Mass was 71.81, suppose 2 be 27.2-50.41 range & they said I shud eat 1565 to maintain my weight...EXCUSE ME, BUT WHERE IS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK & BROWN FOLKS BODY MASS INDEX LOCATED??? Cuz the folks in the south say Im a HEALTHY weight & I think I nd 2 create anotha type of BMI!!!!!!!! I am heavy in the hips & thighs & I think I look good just like I am, these standards are so not realistic!!!! BMI 4 Blacks is a need, we are circumferenced different!!!!!

    I don't think you should focus on race...

    you should focus on build

    there are three types if I am not mistaken

    Small, Medium, Large Frame

    What frame are you...

    There are people from all races with all types of frames


    I like to edit to add.

    As a black man...I am jealous of white men Calves..

    Damnit!

    Well then you have not seen my husbands skinny *kitten* calves (he is so white he turns red just from thinking about going outside).

    but I agree with this - race might account for different averages, but I have seen plenty of slim black girls and plenty of white girls with big hips and butts.

    I don't know if I'd classify it as just THREE Types but different builds do account for different weights. I'm not particularly curvy but I'm kind of stocky, the high end of the BMI scale is fine for me but the low end would be unhealthy and or hospitalized. BUt plenty of other girls - of all races - can hit the lower end of the BMI scale and look fine.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    The BMI was never supposed to be used the way its being used, even its inventors have categorically said so. It is a calculation aimed at averaging out entire populations for the purposes of statistics etc, not to make health assessments about individual people. I have posted this before, but I think its a great peice of information (though a bit long).

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

    I agree that its not an issue just for african americans, BMI isn't suitable for individual diagnosis of anyone.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    You just said that your body fat is at 41.2% which means that you're really overfat. Just accept it & make that change in your body composition. I'm brown & I don't believe we need to set a different BMI standard. It is all about a person's built.
  • amsparky
    amsparky Posts: 825 Member
    I agree that BMI calculations suck, it doesn't account for a lot of things, but honestly, I feel like a lot of women of color like to use our uniquely shaped/proportioned bodies as excuses to remain overweight and unhealthy. *Don't pull out your guns and pitch forks nah!* Yes, Black women are more curvy and volumptuous than other women but that line between healthy-curvy and unhealthy-curvy is very thin! I think that we need to find a way to maintain our culturally defined curves without sacrificing/neglecting our health. And yes, there are a lot of Black men who like thicker women but sadly, those are the same women who are suffering with hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes, heart problems, and a shortened lifespan. We need to stop being complacent with these socially acceptable standards for our health and well-being when they bear harmful and costly consequences.

    ~Tasha~

    ^^^^ THIS
    We may be shaped differently but the fact remains that if we have too much body fat (no matter how it is distributed) then we need to get healthier. Period.

    I personally don't use BMi - I use body fat %. Good luck on your journey!