I'm obese... allegedly.
Discussion
If you are 'average', BMI is a good rough guide. If you are not average it may not apply to you.
MrPeters said:
I don't look fat. At all.
Unfortunately social norms have skewed our perception of fatness. For a lot of people overweight = normal, obese = a couple of extra pounds and morbidly obese = could maybe do without that 3rd Big Mac.Stevenj214 said:
Unfortunately social norms have skewed our perception of fatness. For a lot of people overweight = normal, obese = a couple of extra pounds and morbidly obese = could maybe do without that 3rd Big Mac.
No, I really don't. I wear a L shirt (mainly for the length) and it hangs straight down. I'm not stick thin, but not much flab at all. I'm thinner than my Dad (same height) who weighs less than me? :/MrPeters said:
No, I really don't. I wear a L shirt (mainly for the length) and it hangs straight down. I'm not stick thin, but not much flab at all. I'm thinner than my Dad (same height) who weighs less than me? :/
Well either stick a picture up for comment/ridicule or head to your local gym/physio and get your body fat % measured. A much better measure than BMI.You can also DIY with fancy scales etc but the results won't be as accurate.
vescaegg said:
BMI is generally pretty useless as it only takes into account weight and height. Muscle weighs more than fat so a very lean or muscly person for example may come out as 'obese' depending on height.
As commented above, get a % body fat scan if you are concerned.
I wouldn't say I@m concerned... I'm perfectly happy how I am. It's not like I@m unfit etc... I do plenty of walking / lifting / biking. I was just more surprised that I weighed that much / BMI results!As commented above, get a % body fat scan if you are concerned.
MrPeters said:
I wouldn't say I@m concerned... I'm perfectly happy how I am. It's not like I@m unfit etc... I do plenty of walking / lifting / biking. I was just more surprised that I weighed that much / BMI results!
I wouldn't be too surprised about it. As I said, BMI is a rough guide for 'average' people. People who are fit and healthy are far from average so the result becomes less relevant.BF% or the mirror test.
Stevenj214 said:
I wouldn't be too surprised about it. As I said, BMI is a rough guide for 'average' people. People who are fit and healthy are far from average so the result becomes less relevant.
BF% or the mirror test.
Yep. Absolutely nothing wrong with the BMI measurement. "I know a rugby player who's apparently morbidly obese blah blah blah" - I think the correct reply is "Yawn off!". It tells a fat person that they are fat without making excuses for their addiction to pies and it does so very well. It tells an anorexic person that they really do have a problem. Anyone who is a gym regular and can see definition or competes in some kind of sport regularly doesn't need to check their BMI. I'm borderline overweight but this is because I'm lean but do a lot of resistance work and sports/fitness training so it's obviously going to be incorrect for me.BF% or the mirror test.
PS I knew from the title it would be about this subject.
Just a screening measure to be used advisedly. It assumes that everyone is the same shape - that's obviously not true, Kenyans or Ethiopians are not typically the same shape as Inuits or Samoans and would have a different BMI for a given % fat, but still a useful index. If it's obvious that you aren't obese despite your BMI falling into that range, you're not obese, no need to feel insulted by it.
Distribution of body fat is also relevant to adverse health outcomes - someone like me, who tends to put on weight around the belly, is likely to be at higher risk than someone of the same BMI who distributes their fat more evenly.
Distribution of body fat is also relevant to adverse health outcomes - someone like me, who tends to put on weight around the belly, is likely to be at higher risk than someone of the same BMI who distributes their fat more evenly.
el stovey said:
MrPeters said:
I decided to calculate my BMI. And apparently I'm obese with a BMI of 32.1.
I don't look fat. At all. I have a waist of 37 inches. I weigh 18.4st and am 6'2-3ish tall.
Does BMI lie?!
You sound quite fat to me. 37 inch waist is massive. I don't look fat. At all. I have a waist of 37 inches. I weigh 18.4st and am 6'2-3ish tall.
Does BMI lie?!
smileymikey said:
Obese my arse with those stats your what we used to call a....... "big fat b
d"
Your an inch taller than me but six and a half stone heavier? and I'm just an everyday average build
TBH that's how I'd describe myself... along with my GF and family. No one will actually believe I do weigh that much.d"Your an inch taller than me but six and a half stone heavier? and I'm just an everyday average build
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