Hi,

We had a discussion of BMI some time ago, and many at FTE did not think it was always accurate. Here's a little support for that position.

https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/indiana...172854867.html

At the time of the original discussion, I checked around, and BMI was promoted by the CDC as a convenient way to get an idea of physical condition. They never pretended that it was always accurate. There are more accurate methods, but they involve more work.

Ufortunately, BMI does seem to be taken as gospel in many places, and that's not good. The fact that it's being more frequently questioned is a good thing.

hj

 

I have an online chat buddy (female, NOT Pay By The Minute either ) who repeated touts this as gospel. Describing a few of the women I've dated while knowing her she's pretty much of the opinion BMI is infallible.

Of course she's greatly handicapped by my description of their physiques, able to only guess at their actual weight and height. (I'm smart enough to NEVER ask a woman's weight--she'll volunteer that or not. ) Regardless she's yet to say one of these women are not "obsese" or at least "hefty", all due what she assumes would be their BMI.

When describing my own physique, height and weight she has more to go on and tries assuring me I'm waaaaaaaaaaaay overweight, death and infirmity in my immediate future.

Mind you she's about 5'2", 110 pounds wet and claims to be in perfect health. I think she's waaaaaaaay too skinny, not at all looking healthy.

So yeah its a good that nonsense is being questioned---as typical of most Americans we hear something and latch onto it as though its nothing but pure fact. Only after a while do we start wondering if we've been misinformed?

 

There's a pic of me within my BMI range floating around somewhere. I look like I was starved, and really I was. It was when I was in college and couldn't afford even enough Ramen to really live on. In proper form I am in the obese range, right now yeah I'm a bit portly as my knee is acting up and regulating hypoglycemia sucks, but nowhere near as bad as the BMI chart makes it seem.

 

I am of a heavier build, big boned and fairly muscular. My Dr. seems to be amazed that I don't have massive underlying health issues but I walk 12-14 miles per day and internally, I'm pretty fit.

When I retired from the Coast in 2004, I went to my State Farm insurance rep in search of a life ins. policy. He weighed me and told me that I was heavy and that would affect my monthly premiums.

I challenged him with this: If a pro athlete came into your office and asked your for a policy and he was muscular and heavy, what would be your response?

I then explained to him that the Coast Guard adjusted my acceptable maximum weight that I could carry based on my neck, stomach and wrist measurements.

He met my challenge and sold me a policy for much less than what was quoted.