Calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI)

[topher97202]

I found this calcultor online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597.

At 5' 11''/ 172 lbs - My BMI is 24. That's considered in the "Normal" range, so according to this site:

"It reduces your risk of serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes."

However, there are some things to note:

"Its biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass.

BMI may:

1. Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
2. Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
3. Inadequately evaluate health risks of people with excess abdominal fat"

Just curious if others here believe their BMI to be an accurate measure of their health?

[richo]

BMI is a "rough gauge", but that's about it. As stated, BMI does not take into account body type or the composition of the mass of a person, which is hugely important.

The common example is that, during his body-building days, the Governator was a BMI of about 32-34 - which places him in the "obese" categories, though anyone looking at him would know that was far from true.

What you really want to do it calculate your body fat percentage, as that's a far more reliable judgment of your fitness level. There are a few ways, though the most accurate requires full-body submersion if I remember correctly. However, for a "quick and dirty", you can use the US Millitary method (this one's described as "navy"): http://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Body-...US-Navy-Method

This method is mostly accurate only down to about 11% body fat; however, if you're at that point, you probably don't need it.

To give a reference - my scale (which measures body fat via an electrical pulse) puts me at 16.6% (on average) and the measurements put me at 16.5%, so it's fairly consistent.

Regardless of any of this, you should always talk to a medical professional (preferrably your GP) before making any major diet or exercise changes, because there can be secondary factors that should be considered.

[topher97202]

Thanks for sharing the link Richo!

So the Governator had a BMI of about 32-34? I've always been curious how gaining that much muscle mass adversely affects the body. Just because it's not fat, doesn't mean it's a good thing. Even if Arnold accomplished his gains naturally, a human body was only designed to carry so much weight.

[richo]

Well, it's doubtful he did it naturally, though I don't know that it's every been officially discussed; steroids weren't as frowned upon at the time, so it wouldn't have been abnormal for a body builder to use them (that doesn't mean he did, just that it wouldn't surprise me if he had). Looking it up, he was 6' tall and 235 lbs, so he was at a BMI of just over 31.

But, yes, I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to go that route. Frankly, even as a gay man, I don't find anything more than a moderate build attractive - it just looks fake to me - and that's not even discussing the health aspects.

The original axiom still stands - talk to a medical professional before making decisions about what you "should be" in terms of BMI, body fat percentage, weight, whatever. All these charts are useful for rough approximations, but your doctor is the best source of informtion.

[Journeyman]

In Canada (and perhaps in the USA), a certified fitness trainer with the appropriate course(s) under his or her belt, can also give one this kind of information (BMI and body fat percentages). I had mine done by an excellent trainer at my local YMCA.

[RyanAB]

IMO, BMI tests are useless. Take them with a grain of salt

If one is serious about fitness, goto any gym and have them do a body fat test on you. It is way more meaningful and will also give you your total muscle mass.... mine was $25.

You can take body fat tests online, buy your own calipers and scales... but those are usually inaccurate.

Ryan

[NudonyII]

Originally Posted by RyanAB

IMO, BMI tests are useless. Take them with a grain of salt

If one is serious about fitness, goto any gym and have them do a body fat test on you. It is way more meaningful and will also give you your total muscle mass.... mine was $25.

You can take body fat tests online, buy your own calipers and scales... but those are usually inaccurate.

Ryan

Totally agree. My BMI indicated "overweight", when I am in fact quite thin with dense muscularity.

BFP is much, much more reliable as a gauge.

[Ren]

Throw your scales out the window. Put the calipers and calculators down. There is a much simpler way to determine where you are in terms of fitness...

Be honest with yourself.

A measurement is a number and if you know your number or its meaning, you might become obsessed with that number or its meaning. If there is one thing you know, it's yourself. You know how you feel perhaps better than how you look. I'm not fat, but I've spent plenty of time thinking I was and obsessing over it, even when I felt good. If you're eating in moderation, throwing movement into your daily routine, and making sure to get sleep, you will be in better shape mentally (thereby reducing the weight-inducing cortisol stress reaction) to put yourself into better shape physically.

Honesty is what works for me. I have weighed myself twice in the past year out of curiosity when I was near a scale. I don't adhere to the numbers, because I know innately what needs to be done.

[alfredr]

I thought that when I first started hearing about Body Mass Index, there were several measurements involved to make it something different from and 'better than simple height-weight charts. But now, all I see going into BMI is height and weight. You could make up a chart, publish it all over and then no one needs to look up how to calculate BMI.

Ren is right to a point about being honest with yourself, but I think people with bad self images may not be able to see themselves honestly, anorexics, for example. A number to tell them they're ok might be a good thing.

[HabaneroSting]

Good discussion. I personally believe that BMI is a completely useless measurement. Body fat composition is a better factor, but there are also other factors such as VO2, cholesterol levels, muscle tone, etc. that form your total health and body fitness picture.

Bottom line is: eat healthy food, be physically active, get proper rest, drink plenty of clean water, stretch thoroughly but safely, and take your vitamins.