Is BMI really something to go on..?

[brocollibunnies]

Hi All,

I have been looking into BMI, BMR and body fat levels etc recently. I can't help but think BMI targets are little out of whack... Considering they're always used and drummed in to you by doctors etc. Also can't help but think perhaps it's not a great thing to be saying to people.... me for example.

My BMI at the moment is 33.7 (5ft6 and 207lbs) which puts me in the OBESE category, and my body fat 28.2% (which is apparently average?), ... Now, to look at me, I definitely do not look obese.... I don't even look overly overweight, though I'm a bit of a pear shape (I sit at a size 18 on bottom)

To be in the 'healthy range' I need to have a BMI of 25 or less, which would mean I would need to weigh about 150lbs. So I'd need to lose 57lbs. I can't help but think this may be a bit too much? Obviously there is no magic mirror that you can view yourself in to see what you would look like at a certain weight (though that would be great!). But looking at what a difference only a little amount of weightloss makes to the way people look, I can't help but feel like I'd look like awful at that suggested weight....!

And obviously the BMI doesn't take in to account muscle mass.

I'm now feeling a bit wary of this whole BMI thing, my new nurse practically called me fat to my face and said I should think about going to a diabetes clinic thing...!! Didn't put me in a great mood and didn't exactly make me feel any better about my weight.

What is everyone's opinion on this sort of thing...? I don't feel like it really helps, self esteem wise and goal wise perhaps...?

[IndigoBlue61]

I suppose there has to be numbers involved so that medical professionals etc can compare, but I agree it's a very flawed system 😕 In particular, it takes no notice of where you carry the fat, or how much of the weight is muscle 😕

I and two friends were the same height and weight but totally different dress sizes, I am now two stone lighter and wear the same size clothes!! My aim was to get 'healthier' rather than 'healthy' to get to a size 12/14, and a BMI under 30. I'm almost there. 😊

Good luck in your journey to "healthier" 😊

[MW50]

I agree it is flawed, but there is never going to be a 'one size fits all' way of measuring healthy weight. It does serve its purpose in alerting health providers of a potential problem, but I would hope they would ask a few questions regarding diet and fitness levels before labelling someone as fat or obese. For me the BMI of 25 is not 'magic', it is just something to aim at, I would like to think that I will know instinctively when I reach a weight and level of fitness that is right for me and there I intend to stay, no matter what the numbers say.

[Caz28]

Hi, I just use them as a guide. My 'ideal weight' would be around 9 stone but I know that is too low for me. However, to get into the healthy BMI range I need to lose another 4 lb and I know that isn't enough, I would be 10st 6lb then. Everyone is a different shape and it has to be how you feel happy. It's nice to see the scales going down but for me eating healthily and getting fitter is the main concern.

[VickyDLM 2 stone]

Weight is a funny thing. My sister was a swimmer for years from the time she was around 10 and so is very slim, but still weighs around 160 lbs. While it's literally on the border of overweight, muscle weighs lots more and she's definitely mostly muscle and not at all overweight!

I suppose we should just take these things as guidelines rather than as absolutes and go with where we feel healthy and comfortable.

[Seuzan]

I don't like the labels either. You probably already know what your ideal / preferred. weight is and just need the help and support to get there. Good luck! 🌻

[Hidden]

Hi love I think same it saying I should be 7-10stone I have never been below 13 so I will be happy no matter what I lose there noway I can lose seven stone lol xxx

[Marylou54]

I was shocked by my results too and just use them as a guideline. My aim is to reduce my cholesterol levels and feel fitter. If that results in an adjustment to my size and weight then that's great!

[jenwriter]

I don't trust the BMI, I've always been thin but curvy, big bum and wide hips. It's telling me I need to be 9 stone 11 or something, but I've lost a lot of weight and besides a bit of roundness to my stomach I'm happy with my body. I'm thinking that going under 10 stone is a bit too skinny! I haven't been under 10 stone since my teens I'm 27 so I'm going down to 10 stone and that's it. As long as I am happy and feel good I'm ignoring what the BMI says as I don't want to be a stick!

That nurse, horrible woman. Why are some people who work gps surgery and other health places so well, they don't seem to care much about the people they are helping. You seem to get more people who care in shops than you do in public service! And if you don't give good service in shops etc you are disciplined, guess public service can get away with it! Sorry, it just bugs me

[Hidden]

I am VERY wary of BMI as a method of measurement. It is in fact the weight divided by the height SQUARED! (or weight divided by height divided by height). This means that a tiny difference in height measurement makes a huge difference in BMI. It is amazing how many medical "professionals" measure your height with your shoes on!! The other thing is as you get older your spine shrinks due to compression of the disks between the vertebrae. So you get shorter! (one inch in my age, pushing me into the next band up!)

A better way is simply waistt measurement - if it is less than 40 inches (for men) it is considered OK. By some docs too.

Another way (which I prefer) is to use skinfold calipers - take a pinch of skin at various sites and measure the thickness. Favoured by a lot of sports people as it measures fat not muscle. See

shapeup.org/bfl/skinfold.html

and for a typical one see:

amazon.co.uk/Accu-Measure-F...

Or just Google Body Fat Caliper

Cost about £5

[Hidden]

One thing I forgot to mention:

To reduce BMI instantly - right now! is to improve posture. If you have a poor posture it reduces your height quite a lot (your back is curved).

So:

Stand with your feet the same distance apart as your hips.

Shoulders over your hips.

Square shoulders.

Ears over shoulders.

Top of your head as far as it will go. (you should feel the tension in the back muscles)

Suck in your gut towards the spine as far as it will go.

Then for a poor posture this should result in a significant gain in height (4 or 5 inches perhaps) right now, resulting in a huge reduction in the BMI without losing weight!

You can do this anywhere, (leaving the feet out!) Waiting for a 'bus, walking, sitting, typing, queueing, whatever.

I still think BMI is not a good measure!!