Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus : NPR

In the last 2 weeks I finally began counting calories and getting better exercise. So far I've dropped about 9 pounds, which is to be expected in the first few days/ weeks. I've discovered that eating 1800 calories a day isn't too hard if you're careful about it. The first thing I did was download the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. Entering the calories in the system really helps to keep me honest.

I saw a BMI calculator on the myfitnesspal.com website and realized that I am supposed to be at 200lbs in order to achieve my BMI of 25... I'm 6'3" and haven't been 200lbs in over 20 years!!! BMI doesn't seem to take anything into account other than your height and weight. What about body builders or wrestlers? What about people that are a different size than I am? How can BMI be justified when there are over 6 billion people in the world and no 2 are exactly alike? That's like saying that everyone that's 6'3" should wear size 12 shoes or have a 15 inch neck (mine is 18, but then again, I'm really fat, lol). Actually, I am about 30 pounds heavier than I'd like to be, but it's really just my gut that I would like to get ride of.
Bottom line: BMI sucks!!

BMI

 

You are right, and one size does not fit all. Doctors are beginning to understand that more. My own doctor asked me some time ago, "at what weight did you feel best?"

Good job on getting started. Set your own goals based on how you feel, and don't worry about a perfect body mass. Your body will tell you what feels right.

 

thats funny my freinds and i were talking about bmi's last night...i know what you are talking about..im at 6'7 according to bmi's i should be 197...i think just my bones weigh that much lol....when i was in great shape in school i was 250..without much of a muscle base..bmi's are a bunch of hooey!!!!

 

I'm under 6' and 230lbs. Yes I have a gut, not much of one though, and I can bench about 350 as well as lift and carry my own weight. I'm borderline morbidly obese by BMI standards.
My last job, I would spend all day lifting and positioning pieces of steel in press brake. The piece usually weighed 50-150lbs, the dies weighed about 200-250lbs and I had to change them out 5-10 times per day, depending on what I was making. One of the factors that got me the job was my build.

 

im 6'7 and 300 right now..sigh...thanks to a desk job lol..but all is good i just revamped my workout routine and got a 80lb punching bag..

 

I've never seen the BMI as the be-all, end-all of health indicators, but it can be useful as an initial step in screening for weight issues, but only as one of several. In other words, if your BMI is in the "normal" range, you're probably okay. If it's not, then start looking at other factors like fitness level, body type, body fat percentage, etc.

I suspect it would be more useful if it were revised to a comparison of the cube of height and cube of weight, or even if it used (height X shoulder width X waist) compared to weight cubed.

That said, even I am flirting with the upper ranges of "normal" on BMI, and I have NEVER been accused of being fat. Right now, I'm 6'0" and 180 lbs. I have a little more around the waist than I would like, but my shoulders, arms and thighs are much larger than when I graduated HS (same height, 145 lbs, body fat less than 4%).

I've also had to bite my tongue on many occasions when I hear snide remarks about my weight from people who are clearly obese. The reality is, that even 30 extra pounds, especially if they're concentrated around the middle, greatly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

My approach? Stay active, eat a wide variety of foods, don't stuff yourself at mealtime. Occasional large meals are okay, but they need to be the rare exception. Also, eat often so that you're not as hungry at mealtime and end up stretching your stomach. Oh, and stay active.

Jason

 

I had a doctor tell me that I was obese by BMI standards a couple years ago. I was shocked that he said I was obese... OBESE? I mean, I knew I needed to lose a few pounds, but I never thought I was considered obese. He told me I should weigh about 200. At 200 pounds, I'd look gaunt. Now that I know how BMI is figured, I believe it to be somewhat misleading. Yeah, I suppose it could be considered an indicator, as long as it isn't the only guide used.

I've been a lot more active since I started counting calories- myfitnesspal credits you some calories when you work out, so I get to eat a little more, too. It's nice at the end of the day, around dinner time, when you look at the chart and you still have 800 calories to go. You're supposed to eat most, if not all, the calories the chart tells you to. It helps the metabolism burn more efficiently.

 

i just did my bmi online for grins lol it says i am 33.8..ouch!! i take it lightly though

 

The Coast Guard uses a formula that combines your neck measurement, your belly measurement and your dominant wrist measurement to determine BMI and change your maximum allowable weight if your are considered overweight by Coast Guard standards.

I'm not sure how the formula works but I'll bet it could be found. Sure saved my career.

 

My (ex) doc told me i was obese as well. I am 6' 1", and weighed 185 for years, no real belly, grew up on the farm working hard, always been muscular. I shot up to 205 when I was welding doing a lot of heavy lifting and such. After my back surgery, I did gain some, up to 237. He was trying to tell me I needed to get back to the 185. I said something about my muscle build, and he just looked at me like I was stupid, so I basically fired him... my cholesterol level was fine, everything was fine, except my BMI.

 

Being the 18 year old 170lb 6'1 guy in the group with a BMI of 22.4 I won't complain about the system.

Although I'm FAR from overweight and it says I'm closer to that end of the spectrum.

 

I downloaded that app, Stu. It really opens your eyes, don't it?

 

Where did you find that bmi calculator though?

 

In this link from the CDC, they explain that BMI is a good screening tool, but not a diagnostic.

Healthy Weight: Assessing Your Weight: BMI: About Adult BMI | DNPAO | CDC

They go on to say that it's a fairly accurate indicator for most folks. I would tend to agree. Mine is nowhere near where it should be, and that "big boned" arguement only goes so far

As you would think, there are several more precise methods.

hj

 

BMI charts are worthless. There are devices we used in weight lifting and wrestling to see before and after results. I was like 12 during wrestling and like 14 during weight lifting. at that time on a BMI chart i was listed at 18-23 during those times. I was no means overweight at all. Look at all the Football players, If you were to list their weight and size they would be all considered overweight.