The BMI---Body Mass Index indicator--- is unhealthy in mho.

[trumad]

I am 6:2---230 pounds. Workout everyday, about as healthy as can be.---honestly I'd like to be around 220 cause I look DAMN! good.

According to the BMI calculator--(link below) --I'm bordering on Obese---missed it by .5

I have to weigh around 185 to be at the healthy weight category. I weighed that in High School in 1975.

I would have to lose 45 pounds to hit it---ain't gonna happen.

I think that this BMI index is part of the problem with Bulimia, anorexia, etc.

thoughts?

BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. What's your body fat percentage?

That's often a better indicator. There are some athletes with a lot of muscle mass who would be considered obese per the BMI.

That said if you look around you obesity is a bigger problem than anorexia or bulimia. If one is obese they're at greater risk for things like type II diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease and cancer.

[trumad]

2. Most athletes would.

A 6:2, 230 pound linebacker in the NFL is common.

Not to say I'm buffed like them.

Anybody who nows me would laugh if I said I was obese or even overweight.

PS: Don't know my body fat.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Not endurance atheletes

Too much junk in the trunk be it fat or muscle is extra weight for people like marathoners, triathletes and cyclists.

There are scales and other electronic instruments that are supposed check body fat percentage. It's whether these are worth the cost to you.

[cui bono]

27. You can get a reasonably priced scale made by Omron that will measure body fat,

muscle, BMI, a couple other things and tell you your "body age". Mine says I'm normal/healthy/whatever even though I feel like I want to lose more body fat, around 10 lbs. And it says my body age is 20 years younger than what I am, so I love this thing.

And no, it doesn't give a low body age to everyone, my bro didn't get such a good one, but he's way more overweight than I and has high cholesterol cuz he eats much fattier foods than I.

[wilt the stilt]

39. i agree it is off

when I graduated college. I was 5'10 and 160 and maintained pretty close to that until I was 43. I always added 10 lbs per inch. so 5'11 should be 170. If you extrapolate on that 200 would be ideal. I think at your age your not bad but 210 would be pretty awesome.

[trumad]

42. Oh believe me it would.

[wilt the stilt]

45. the most important question

can you see your wee wee.

[LiberalArkie]

3. Waist vs Height measurement is far more accurate especially for athletic people.

Someone who is athletic will always appear to be almost obese with the vmi.

Waist to height ratio is a simple measurement for assessment of lifestyle risk and overweight. Compared to just measuring waist circumference, waist to height ratio is equally fair for short and tall persons. This calculator is valid for children and adults.

[bunnies]

4. It doesnt account for muscle mass.

Thats a problem for athletes for certain. That said, if you arent particularly muscular, It seems like a fairly reasonable guide. I fall within the "healthy" range but could really stand to lose a good 10 to 15lbs of fat. Just mho, of course.

[joeybee12]

6. It's not supposed to be the be-all and end-all of the discussion...

But the starting point.

[tridim]

7. Why can't you lose 45 pounds?

I understand you don't want to, but anyone can lose weight. Or gain weight. It's not hard.

IMO (and in my life) toting around extra fat seems kind of pointless. Humans don't need as much fat-reserve as we did before supermarkets, warm clothes and climate-controlled shelter.

[trumad]

12. LOL---

Because I'd look like death.

[Fawke Em]

29. Actually, "anybody" can't lose or gain weight.

I couldn't lose weight for years despite daily exercise and a small diet.

Then I discovered I have a gluten sensitivity and adjusted by diet, so I have been losing some. It's not falling off, but it's going.

However, had I not had other symptoms (that didn't develop until years after I first started gaining weight), I would have never even be tested. My sensitivities are so slight that it wouldn't have been something I would have recognized without the tests.

In any case, some people cannot just "lose" 45 pounds without medical intervention.

[rightsideout]

8. Agreed

I'm 5'-6' and 145 which is considered 4 pounds away from being overweight.

I've been dieting, drinking lots of water, exercise on the Eliptical for an hour and do 150 sit ups a few days a week and can't get below 144. My goal is 138 and can't even get close to that. I get down to about 144 and pretty much give up.

Some people who do alot of exercising, build up muscle mass so that could account for not loosing more weight when you've taken off as much as you can.

You're probably at the best you can do weight wise. You could increase the uptake in water and reduce glucose and carb levels further.

My doctor told me the new exercise guidelines are now 1 hour of cardio everyday. I was like, everyday?

[rufus dog]

19. Have you tried leg work outs?

Weight training on legs will add muscle mass increasing weight at first but then can aid weight loss. Your one hour cardio the day after the leg workout will be pure hell though.

[Bunnahabhain]

9. I'm not a huge fan of BMI but...

Let's realize we're not all special flowers. Most of the population that has a BMI that indicates they are obese...are obese! Yes, there will be outliers, but odds are damn solid you're not one!

(Rhetorical "you" there.)

[NightWatcher]

10. I'm 6'5'' and when I was down to 180 I was sickly and suffering from muscle wasting

I'm a healthy 220 but I could be as low as 210 without looking weak.

That calculator is BS

[JonLP24]

11. Remember when another poster did your BMI?

Last edited Tue Oct 8, 2013, 06:47 PM - Edit history (1)

I think the topic was Barry Bonds at the time.

[trumad]

13. Yeah---that was the weirdest experience I had on DU

Weird little guy that one

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. Yeah... My son is 6'1", 185 (wears a 29-30 inch waist)

and he is apparently skirting overweight. His back up tight end is approximately the same size with about fifteen pounds. Yeah, BMI is BS

Which is hilarious. He's broad shouldered, but that's the only wide part of his body.



Edited for the perfection police. No, he shouldn't even be that close. He should be well within.

[Azathoth]

15. 185 at 6'1" is still in the normal range n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. 24.4

. 6 off overweight which is ridiculous.

[Azathoth]

18. So it's normal, but not normal enough for you?

I don't think people get the concept of statistical distributions.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. It should be well within. Have a wonderful evening.

I don't "do" fight picking.

[Azathoth]

38. lol nt

[trumad]

17. Good looking kid.

I was that thin back in 1975--- when I went into the Army.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Thanks.

BMI is BS. Luckily, his pediatrician puts no weight into it.

[former9thward]

36. BMI is meant for mature adults.

Your son's body would not fit into the category. Kids have a far different metabolism than mature adults. BMI is not BS.

[ScreamingMeemie]

37. It is. Extreme BS. Gonna go with my pediatrician on this.

But it's okay. We can disagree.

[LittleBlue]

21. Your son looks in optimal health

More proof the BMI is a farce.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. Agreed. Body fat should be emphasized, IMO.

[cui bono]

23. I think you're not seeing the real problem in that pic.

There's a man with tattoos on his arms!!!

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. He's a massively awesome human being.

(except for the fact he's a Texans fan)

[rufus dog]

43. Too funny

The kid is probably tying to gain weight and can't. There is no way he is anywhere close to overweight.

[Mosby]

56. your kid looks like he weighs about 160-165

based on that pic.

I'm 6'2" 185, so I know what it looks like, my build is very similar to your kids.

I used to weigh 152, has a 30 inch waist, now it's 34.

[sendero]

25. Its a pointless metric..

.. and I have been surprised at its adoption.

If you have any musculature at all, your BMI is probably not going to be great.

[Newsjock]

28. Key point there

Employers are increasingly using BMI as a tool to reward/penalize employees in company health plans. It is indeed flawed, and I eagerly await the class-action suits that will end this misguided practice once and for all.

[tularetom]

30. Don't want to be a downer but you must be looking at a different BMI than I did

I'm also 6'2", 210# and according to the one I saw I am obese (by one pound).

[hedgehog]

31. Here's a BMI indicator that at least considers frame size.

http://tunza.com.au/ThePlanet/templates/theplanet-00/BMICalculator-Index.htm

[Buns_of_Fire]

49. I like that one. It said I was "Desirable."

And my wife, Morgan Fairchild, agrees.

[Myrina]

32. Yep, I'm 5'9', 185 & female ... my doc told me to lose 60 lbs.

Last time I weighed 125 was 25 years ago, while I was a starving college student living on $12/wk for groceries ... before maternity & childbirth and pre-menopause.

I could see - and am trying to - lose 20 lbs, but 60? C'mon ...

[ScreamingMeemie]

35. Your doctor told you that 125 is a healthy weight for 5'9?

Wow, what an idiot.

[Myrina]

51. My thought exactly.

I went back to my office & called my insurance company for a recommendation on a new primary care physician.

[rufus dog]

33. Looking at the waist to height ratio suggested seems to be a better indicator

I am/was close to your measurement. Which was too much weight for me. 10 plus years ago I got down to 205 with a 32 inch waist and that would be considered overweight on BMI even though it was close to six pack abs for me. Currently I am just over 200 and can afford probably 10 more pounds. The difference is working out with weights/ muscle mass. So 15 pounds lighter without the muscle is likely equal on a healthy weight factor. Either way it is above what BMI recommends.

Edit: BMI has me at 25.9 - overweight. Waist to height ratio - .47 - O.K.

[laundry_queen]

34. This was an issue with me as a teen.

My mom didn't like the number on the scale so started taking me to doctors, who then said, "well, according to the BMI chart she's a bit overweight, but she's very stocky and muscular so I think she's okay." So my mom took me to several weight loss places. I was, at the time, 5'3.75" and 145 lbs. According to their BMI charts on the heavy side I should've been 118lbs and as low as 110lbs. Even my thin-obsessed mother thought I'd look ill at that weight. I ended up on weight watchers and lost 15 lbs and fit in a size 4. I looked very thin, but I didn't stay at that weight long...despite constant exercise and a mother who controlled my food, I was soon back up to 145. I stayed there +/- 10 lbs for a few years until I got pregnant. I did always carry my weight well, so no one had any clue how much I weighed. Even doctors guessed wrong.

Now I'm obese, so I don't even look at the BMI charts. I know it's bad. But BMI is just really a glorified generic height/weight chart. They have adjusted it some - now there is a larger range. When I was a teen, I was told 118 firm was my goal. Now the range is 107-145. There's no way I could be 107, ever. My 16 year old daughter is 115 lbs (same height as me) and she is extremely petite/small boned (her dad's side) and size 2. With my bone structure I'd look like a skeleton at 107lbs. 145 is more doable, but for me it would take a miracle at this point to reach that.

One thing - as a female I always thought it was stupid they didn't take boob size into account, LOL. I was a DD as a teen, and I always thought I probably had an extra 5 lbs or so in my boobs.

But yeah, I've never been a fan of BMI charts. I like the charts that take into account bone structure as well.

[Puzzledtraveller]

40. It's flawed and this has been stated by professionals.

Why it's insistence on use is beyond me.

[duffyduff]

41. The BMI is total garbage. n/t

[Yavin4]

44. I just passed from obese to over weight on the BMI

5'11, 214 lbs. I was 233 lbs in early August.

[Sgent]

46. Suggest an alternative

that is better and doesn't need anything more than a scale and a tape measure and is generally applicable.

Its not meant to be the "end all, be all" of weight measurements -- its meant to alert your doctor that there might be an issue.

It doesn't mean there is an issue, but it should be identified as to what's going on -- athlete, malnourished, overweight, etc.

The problem is that this screening tool which is useful in general is being applied to specific people -- and that's a result of non-medial personnel using it.

[Azathoth]

48. lol, don't expect many replies

Apparently, BMI is a four letter word at DU.

[a la izquierda]

47. I am in complete agreement

For two years I did crossfit. I am a vegetarian. I had about 17% body fat as a 5'1" female and I weighed roughly 127 lbs. My BMI was high, however (I don't recall the number). When I went to the doctor, the nurse said, "Wow, you're getting a bit heavy." I was floored. I have a history of eating disorders, and I started to shake, and got very, very upset. I told the doctor what the nurse said. The doctor, who looked at my body, said "Sweetie, you're not fat. You're solid."

I've since stopped crossfitting. I've become a vegan and in 5 weeks, I've dropped 15 pounds (fairly normal for someone who thought cheese was its own food group). My BMI has probably changed dramatically.

BMI is crap. Solidly built football players are "obese." That's bullshit.

[1000words]

50. It's a general guideline, not a definitive declaration

Furthermore, it's now being used incorrectly with regards to its originally intended use:

"BMI was explicitly cited by Keys as being appropriate for population studies, and inappropriate for individual diagnosis. Nevertheless, due to its simplicity, it came to be widely used for individual diagnosis."

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

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

52. An article a few years back on BMI...

was showing basically what you're saying. That BMI is a grossly inaccurate measure of whether someone is fit or not.

As an example, they had a picture of Evander Holyfield in his prime. Based on his height and weight at the time, Holyfield would be deemed "obese" according to the BMI Table.

Yeah, YOU break the news to him...

[Javaman]

53. I'm 6'2" and weigh 180...

I lost 25 pounds recently.

It can be done.

and I'm 50 years old.

[trumad]

54. I don't want to be 180

Way to fucking skinny.

[Javaman]

57. That's you're opinion.

People often think I'm much heavier than I am.

And no, you can't see my ribs.

It's all in how you carry it.

[Xyzse]

55. I agree!

BMI does not consider muscle mass, amount of physical activity and other important things.

They really should consider pinch test and waist measurements instead.