What's the "Healthy BMI" badge for?

[Subtle_badger]

I got this badge last week (happily gone now), and I just saw SofaJockey turning it down.

I don't understand what this badge is for.

For one, I don't think healthy BMI is a real thing. There are unhealthy BMIs, outside the recommended ranges, but just because you are in the range doesn't mean you are at a healthy weight for your body. At my height 168cm/5'6", the range is 18kg, or nearly 3 stone. I do not believe someone is at a healthy weight at one weight, and still healthy 18kg heavier/lighter. That's more weight than I have lost so far, and my body has made a drastic change. I doubt making that same drastic change again would be healthy.

So it's meaningless in terms of an individual's weight. Does it have some value in the forum? Not as far as I can tell. The maintainer badge says you have succeeded; the weight lost badges tell people how far you have come. But the healthy BMI? That seems to undermine you. In the week I had it, at least two other members said something to the effect "I wish I was at a healthy BMI". I could no longer contribute, because that badge erased my journey, and I looked like a dilettante.

I am seriously interested in what value the admins see in that badge, because it seems useless to me.

[Subtle_badger]

PS! Well done SofaJockey

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

It's for the people that qualify for it, want it and appreciate it, S_b, just like the 107 other different badges that we award.

You wear a 17kg badge, but to anyone that measures in stone and pounds, that would be meaningless to them.

We regularly see people excitedly proclaiming that they're no longer obese, just overweight, so BMI obviously means a lot to them, or they wouldn't be celebrating that milestone.

4 years ago the only badge available was an 'I did it'. I think things have improved.

At the end of the day, it's each to their own.

[Subtle_badger in reply to moreless]

Thanks for answering, moreless i hope I didn't offend you, it was a real question.

I also take notice of BMI, I just didn't want a badge about it.

BMI allows me to say "I have gone from obese to normal in blah months". I can now step comfortably on a scale in a doctor's office, without some morbidly obese consultant clicking her teeth and telling me to "lose a stone". I am looking forward to getting down to 23.9 because that's the level the NHS BMI calculator stops putting an ✳ beside healthy weight. I.E. "You are in the healthy weight range, but at the higher end. Keep an eye on your weight and try to stay in the healthy range."

Note: I think anyone outside Nth America who has even been food shopping knows was a kg is.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Subtle_badger]

We could say what's the use of any 'virtual' badge and some people don't like them at all. As Admin, we try to please as many people as we can and cater to individual preferences. Don't forget a Maintainer's badge can be awarded at any time, because we are at liberty to maintain at any weight, the Healthy BMI badge is at least indicative of achieving a weight deemed healthy by the medical profession.

Oh yes, we may know what a kg is, but it doesn't mean anything to us. 2st 9 and a half lbs is instantly recognisable

[SofaJockey]

The nice thing about different badges is that they are both motivators and rewards, but they work differently for different people. I like to remember the journey, partly because I don't want to go back, so keeping the 'loss' reminder is powerful for me. Another person may prefer the reward of crossing the line. Horses for courses. 😄

[Doing4me in reply to SofaJockey]

Horses 🐎 for courses! 🙄 look at you bright and chipper this morning with your horse 🐴 joke coming thick and fast over the water jump and overtaking the lead! 😜. Sorry 😐 I tried. I’m crap at jokes as you can tell!!

[PandQs Maintainer 3st 7lbs in reply to Doing4me]

Nay I thought you did ok

[Doing4me in reply to PandQs]

😜 🐴 🃏

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

LOL!

[Doing4me]

I’m guessing it will be based on the chart that the health professionals use in the NHS and wider. Its a scientifically calculated guideline from which staff and patients can use as such, a guideline. If people decline to use it then that’s perfectly fine, no problem 🙂 we all have different ways of monitoring our WeightLoss journey, some by belt holes, done by jeans, some by scales and some by BMI. Personally I use a bit of each. I’ve found the BMI chart an eye opener actually because during my 3stone WeightLoss I’ve travelled from 2 different categories to finally just touching my healthy BMI so for me if I get offered it, it will be a badge I wear with honour, knowing the tough times I went through to gain it.

We are all different and it’s nice to have so many choices that we can with decline or embrace.

Have a great sunny day everyone however you Measure your weight xx 😎

[elliebath Maintainer]

BMI and/or weight ranges, do indeed mean different things to different people and at different stages in our lives.

In 1960 my mum , who was the same height as I am now, was considered overweight at 10 stone . Nowadays that weight is considered a Healthy Bmi of 23 ... so it's really only relative to the average in society at any one time.

I'm hoping to reincarnate in 100 years time and to feel nothing less than sylph like !! 😁

[MintTeaMascara Healthy BMI]

I'm a healthy BMI and got the badge a while back.. I enjoyed getting my 1lb, 2lb badges etc as it gave me motivation and a sense of achievement. So when I got the healthy BMI I took it a bit personally at first but the admins put it back no problem. I'm not sure of it's function myself or who originally thought it up and what the purpose was behind it. Who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Subtle_badger in reply to MintTeaMascara]

Exactly, that's why I asked. I don't know anyone who has welcomed it. I got mine without query or explanation. I didn't even know who to ask to get it removed. I asked in the next week's weigh in, and that worked.

I guess my takeaway is that as the healthy BMI badge is optional, they should ask before applying it.

It's interesting to me that waist is a much better indicator of health than BMI, but there are no inch/cm-loss badges.