BMI charts and insurance

[Mrs Mungo]

Here's my husband's information for an example:

Height: 6 feet, 1 inches

Weight: 250 pounds

 

Your BMI is 33, indicating your weight is in the Obese category for adults of your height. For your height, a normal weight range would be from 140 to 189 pounds.

People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. BMI 30.0 and Above Obese

Now, if my husband were 160, you would have to wonder if he had cancer. In highschool he was 175 and skinny as a string bean. Muscle weighs more than fat and this is something that the BMI does NOT take into consideration.

 

I totally agree and so does everyone else in the thread. :) When one falls outside of the range, other factors should be considered.

[mommaduck]

I totally agree and so does everyone else in the thread. :) When one falls outside of the range, other factors should be considered.

I added a disclaimer to my post on why I quoted you ;) And I was blind posting (have not had the chance to read the ENTIRE thread...just adding my two cents and issues with the BMI).

[Mrs Mungo]

Cathy C, thanks. I wasn't "fishing" for compliments just pointing out that while a weight number or even BMI number can be greatly misleading. My weight at the time of the photo was 275-280 yet when most people hear that number they assume many things such as how that weight looks on people. I know many assume a 300lb person should be almost immobil or close to bedridden. I know I have that image when I think of 400lbs until I realized my younger brother is almost that weight but is 6'7.My other brother is 6'4 and 360. Neither are small by any standards but they also don't fit the "image" of someone in that weight range. They are larger than me but not drastically considering their build. I have an uncle, by marriage, on the other hand that weighed 380 lbs and in the 6'range but is borderline bedridden. He also fits the image that pops in your mind when you say nearly 400lbs. Build is a big factor and should be considered.

 

Interesting flikr set to illustrate.

[Mrs Mungo]

I added a disclaimer to my post on why I quoted you ;) And I was blind posting (have not had the chance to read the ENTIRE thread...just adding my two cents and issues with the BMI).

 

Thanks! ;D

 

eta: My dh is 155 and he's only 5'6", so he's overweight too. He runs marathons!

Edited July 28, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[fairfarmhand]

Here's my husband's information for an example:

Height: 6 feet, 1 inches

Weight: 250 pounds

 

Your BMI is 33, indicating your weight is in the Obese category for adults of your height. For your height, a normal weight range would be from 140 to 189 pounds.

People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. BMI 30.0 and Above Obese

Now, if my husband were 160, you would have to wonder if he had cancer. In highschool he was 175 and skinny as a string bean. Muscle weighs more than fat and this is something that the BMI does NOT take into consideration. Add to that build and type of activity. If my husband were not 200-250lbs then he would not be built for doing the types of jobs that he has done (building roads, running a jack hammer, climbing silos, making commercial refrigerators, and working with large hogs). The men you see on these jobs are generally large men, and if they don't start out that way, they quickly become that way. It builds muscle and a lot of it. My husband had one doctor swear up and down he was obese and another doctor laugh when he heard what the previous doctor said. His mother swears by the BMI and you should see her when she diets...she diets down to her "prime weight" and I've been seriously concerned for her health as she gets down to skin and bones...I've been underweight and it's NOT healthy. Now do we really want to have men that can't lift a tackle box building our roads and such? Are we really saying that these men shouldn't have insurance when they put themselves are more on the job risk than the guy sitting behind the desk and only 130lbs?

 

 

GOOD GRIEF!

 

My dh is 160-165 depending on what time of year it is (we farm so he gains in the winter) and he is only 5' 9". He is my NO means chubby, fat or overweight. He carries all his weight in his shoulders and wears the same size pants as he did when we got married and he weighed 140! I can't imagine what he'd look like if he was 4 inches taller!!!

 

When my dh is 165 he is at 25.1 OVERWEIGHT!!!

 

I wonder what the BMI's are for those Olympic gymnasts (esp. the men) who are so short but super bulked??? But I'm sure they are absolutely healthy!

[Mom2J112903]

I actually just posted something about this on my FB concerning my son.

 

A 6 year and 7 month old (male) child who is 53.0 pounds and 3 feet and 8.75 inches tall, has a body mass index of 18.6, which is at the 94.4th percentile and is considered to mean that your child is at risk of becoming overweight.

 

This was taken the other day, sorry you can not see his legs, but I can tell you that his legs are no bigger than his arms really. The child has legs of steel-he is *all* muscle in those legs of his.

 

Sorry for the size, it will not re-size for me-ugh.

 

Yeah, everyone is telling me he is fine, but the numbers do not agree.

 

 

 

 

[mommaduck]

I actually just posted something about this on my FB concerning my son.

 

A 6 year and 7 month old (male) child who is 53.0 pounds and 3 feet and 8.75 inches tall, has a body mass index of 18.6, which is at the 94.4th percentile and is considered to mean that your child is at risk of becoming overweight.

 

This was taken the other day, sorry you can not see his legs, but I can tell you that his legs are no bigger than his arms really. The child has legs of steel-he is *all* muscle in those legs of his.

 

Sorry for the size, it will not re-size for me-ugh.

 

Yeah, everyone is telling me he is fine, but the numbers do not agree.

 

Ironically, I have a friend who's having the opposite problem with their son and the school district. The school district decided to do a "BMI evaluation" on each student and send their "concerns" home to the parents. The paper they received stated that their son was "underweight". He's tall and slightly built for his age. The child eats and snacks CONSTANTLY...of everything that child is, he's NOT underweight (actually, he's got a bit of baby fat)! His mother and I just can't figure how they came up with that, but they (the parents) were practically accused of not feeding him enough.

[kahlanne]

Mrs Mungo, I love those photos! Really helps to "see" how BMI can get it so wrong. The first photo, girl in purple, is what I looked like at 135. I was super thin! It was a month before I married at age 17, nope not pregnant just crazy! (married 19 yrs though) I had just gotten back from a month mission trip in Honduras that July where we walked the entire day doing dramas. I was a mime, complete black sweatsuit and white gloves/face. We ate single serving box of corn flakes for breakfast and cup of juice, one banana and 4" slice of french style bread for lunch with occasional treat of yogurt, and simple supper like two slices of pizza. We were only allowed water to drink during the day. I lost major weight that month and looked anorexic when I got back. Yet my BMI chart puts that at the bottom of my normal weight range. HAAAA!!!! I wouldn't go back to that weight if I could.

[mommaduck]

My sentiments (almost) exactly. I would say "Thank goodness I am Canadian... now."

 

I used to be on the other side of the border and I really feel for americans who are struggling with health insurance issues. I've seen (with my parents) how medical issues can be financially disastrous even if you DO have good insurance. It's all so very wrong.

There are days where I wish....

[kahlanne]

Crystal, your son is adorable! Definitely not overweight! My kids always fall in the higher percentile. Of course, they start out full grown.(birth size with each were 8lbs11oz (42weeks), 9lbs 12 oz (41weeks), 8lbs 5oz(40weeks), 8lbs 14oz(40weeks), and 9lbs 6oz (39weeks) each induced due to weight but no issues such as sugar, etc) Matter of fact, Z, my last, has always been way off the height charts and at the high end of the weight charts. Once the doctor said he would worry about Zeke's weight if he wasn't at least two lines off the chart height wise. Plus, at 16 months, you can already see little biceps! Amazing! I tell everyone we just "grow them big in the South". My "largest" brother's child wears a size 14 even though he just turned 6. He is 53"/54" tall and around 120 lbs and still has some "baby fat" due to his age. My brother said it was interesting to see his son sitting on the Kindergarten bench last year next to the other smaller/shorter kids.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Interesting flikr set to illustrate.

 

Umm. With the exception of about 5 of the pictures, they all seemed to be right where I would have thought their BMI placed them. I am considered to be medically morbidly obese myself. (The key there is the word medically because the popular definition of morbidly obese is different than the medical one). But I am losing weight. I do agree that some of the examples given by people in this thread - esp. of very muscular people does mess up the numbers. I'm so thankful that my doctor looks at the percentage of fat and not just the BMI even though that shows that I still need to lose weight!

[Audrey]

GOOD GRIEF!

 

My dh is 160-165 depending on what time of year it is (we farm so he gains in the winter) and he is only 5' 9". He is my NO means chubby, fat or overweight. He carries all his weight in his shoulders and wears the same size pants as he did when we got married and he weighed 140! I can't imagine what he'd look like if he was 4 inches taller!!!

 

When my dh is 165 he is at 25.1 OVERWEIGHT!!!

 

I wonder what the BMI's are for those Olympic gymnasts (esp. the men) who are so short but super bulked??? But I'm sure they are absolutely healthy!

 

 

My farmer dh is 195 (or 200 when winter comes) and 6' 1". He has a very lanky build but broad, muscular shoulders and upper body -- because farm chores here just build you up that way. I'm sure he's fat by those charts (I haven't bothered to look), but I would challenge anyone to find a flabby inch to pinch on him.

 

Luckily for us, though, our provincial health care covers everyone regardless of size.

[runmiarun]

HUH? What chart are they using? I looked at three different BMI calculators and they show 115 lbs is at the low end of the normal range for someone 5'5". that just doesn't make any sense. Are you sure they didn't look at 5'1"? I looked up some insurance charts and a weight of 115 would only be appropriate for someone with a small frame.

 

I wish I knew what chart they were using but unfortunately, it was a spreadsheet on one of many sheets outlining their standards for obese so that we could see our "ideal weight" if we later decided to join the health-improvement group to work towards a lower weight and insurance cost. For a 5'6" woman, the weight was 125. There wasn't a range, just a flat number. I battled anorexia back in my college days and even then I never got lower than 125#.

[Sun]

Mrs Mungo, I love those photos! Really helps to "see" how BMI can get it so wrong. The first photo, girl in purple, is what I looked like at 135. I was super thin! It was a month before I married at age 17, nope not pregnant just crazy! (married 19 yrs though) I had just gotten back from a month mission trip in Honduras that July where we walked the entire day doing dramas. I was a mime, complete black sweatsuit and white gloves/face. We ate single serving box of corn flakes for breakfast and cup of juice, one banana and 4" slice of french style bread for lunch with occasional treat of yogurt, and simple supper like two slices of pizza. We were only allowed water to drink during the day. I lost major weight that month and looked anorexic when I got back. Yet my BMI chart puts that at the bottom of my normal weight range. HAAAA!!!! I wouldn't go back to that weight if I could.

 

Just FYI - when you click on the girl in purple it says that her BMI puts her in the "underweight" category. Not everyone in that set is considered overweight or obese by the BMI charts.

 

Those pictures are fascinating to look through, and it's interesting to see how some of the overweight ones look normal. I wonder if it's that our perception of normal has been changed, or if it's that some of those people are right on the edge. I do know that where someone lives does affect his/her perceptions, though. I know that when I go back and visit where I grow up, almost everyone I see comments on how thin I am. Now, I'm 30 pounds heavier than I was in 20s, and I wear a size 10. I'm definitely a little overweight, and I'm one of the heaviest moms in our very large homeschool group here. But, where I grew up, I look thin because the average weight is so much higher there.

 

It's fascinating reading this thread!

[Penelope]

 

Those pictures are fascinating to look through, and it's interesting to see how some of the overweight ones look normal. I wonder if it's that our perception of normal has been changed, or if it's that some of those people are right on the edge. I do know that where someone lives does affect his/her perceptions, though. I know that when I go back and visit where I grow up, almost everyone I see comments on how thin I am. Now, I'm 30 pounds heavier than I was in 20s, and I wear a size 10. I'm definitely a little overweight, and I'm one of the heaviest moms in our very large homeschool group here. But, where I grew up, I look thin because the average weight is so much higher there.

 

 

This is exactly right. Exactly.

 

If you live in a place where everyone is a little overweight, and your whole family is overweight, than it seems normal to you. And normal weight seems stick thin. Weight of Americans has increased drastically in the past 30 years. It isn't healthy.

 

I think some of the pictures appear the way they do because they are pictures, taken from various angles. We can appear very different in a photo depending on what we are wearing, what time of the month it is, and especially what angle the picture is taken from. None of the BMIs surprised me.

 

BMI isn't a good indicator of fatness for a few people, especially muscular men who are just built bigger. But if the muscular, fit man is wearing a 38 or 40 waist, he could stand to lose some weight. Waist measurement and waist to hip is said to be a better predictor of some diseases than BMI, anyway. I just want to know if women that have had children get a free inch to account for the leftover extra skin. :tongue_smilie:

[joannqn]

This is why BMI shouldn't be the only measure. The military has height/weight standards based on BMI. If you don't meet the standard, you are "taped" in order to find out your body fat composition. It's not THE most accurate method, but it's better than a simple height/weight. Females over 40 are allowed to have 36% body fat.

 

I ran into this back when I was 18 and in ROTC. They wanted me to lose 15lbs but I passed the tape BMI. Still, they forced me to exercise on our off days for PT. We all gathered for PT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesdays and Thursdays I was expected to be in the gym putting in my time to lose that weight. All that exercise left me starving 24/7 though.

 

 

This is me back then. I was 5'4" and 145lbs. It was all in the boobs. :lol:

 

I'm currently in the Class I obesity range. I still have 45-55lbs to lose to be a "healthy" weight. However, that puts me at the same or lower weight as the above photo...not sure how realistic that is for a 36 year old mom of four, though.

 

she said because the government now *requires* that they charge based on what it would cost to rebuild the house today

 

We ran into the same thing with our home. They priced it to rebuild our house with plaster on the first floor, drywall on the second floor, fir floors underneath carpet, etc. It was stupid! Who would do that? We changed insurance companies.

[Mrs Mungo]

I ran into this back when I was 18 and in ROTC. They wanted me to lose 15lbs but I passed the tape BMI. Still, they forced me to exercise on our off days for PT. We all gathered for PT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesdays and Thursdays I was expected to be in the gym putting in my time to lose that weight. All that exercise left me starving 24/7 though.

 

Some commanders/ROTC programs can be kind of loopy and maybe things have changed some. I know my dh doesn't expect people to lose weight if they pass the tape test.

 

This is me back then. I was 5'4" and 145lbs. It was all in the boobs. :lol:

 

I'm currently in the Class I obesity range. I still have 45-55lbs to lose to be a "healthy" weight. However, that puts me at the same or lower weight as the above photo...not sure how realistic that is for a 36 year old mom of four, though.

 

I weight 95 lbs when I got married and I'm 5'2". I was underweight and sick all the time. I *do* currently need to lose some weight (I'm in the overweight category), but I have no desire to be 95 lbs. I'm healthier at this weight than I was at that weight. Of course, now I also eat right, I run, I take care of myself; I didn't do that when I was young. I don't think 120 lbs is unrealistic for me, it's just quite a ways from where I'm at. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

We ran into the same thing with our home. They priced it to rebuild our house with plaster on the first floor, drywall on the second floor, fir floors underneath carpet, etc. It was stupid! Who would do that? We changed insurance companies.

 

So, it was a change in the insurance company's policy, not a government regulation?

[joannqn]

So, it was a change in the insurance company's policy, not a government regulation?

 

It was forever ago so I don't remember for sure. I think the new company still required replacement cost but determined it more realistically.

 

The first company said they had to determine replacement cost rebuilding it exactly the way it is now. The house was originally one floor with plaster walls. Seventy years later, the owners at that time refinished the attic with drywall. The insurance company wanted to determine replacement of plaster on the first floor and drywall on the second floor. That requires hiring two contractors instead of one, and putting in much more expensive plaster. If the house burned to the ground, any sane person would rebuild the house using drywall throughout. They also wanted to put in real wood floors and then cover them with carpet and single-pane, wood-wrapped windows. I think they were probably taking too literal an interpretation of their requirements, maybe?

[Cathy in IL]

So, I wonder what they would say if you were underweight? I am 5'6" and about 110 pounds. I am not healthy. I am waiting for a bed to open for treatment for anorexia. From what my dietician tells me, there are plenty of dangers to being underweight. Would the insurance companies say anything about that?

[JustGin]

Someone posted the following on the curriculum side:

I have actually wanted to post a rant about the BMI charts and insurance for the past two weeks and was prompted to after reading the above...

 

DH's company went out of business the end of June. The company paid up insurance through July, but then we will be w/o coverage.

We have been trying to get private insurance and have been denied because I am morbidly obese.

Like the gentleman mentioned above, I am 'fit' by all standards except the BMI charts. I run/walk 3-4 miles most days of the week, lift weights, mountain bike, hike, garden... My measurements are all good -- excellent blood pressure and blood sugar levels. My waist is a decent size. Cardio stress test was awesome.

Depending on brand, I wear between a size 12 and a size 14.

According to my doctor, I could lose 15-20 pounds max for my body size/frame.

But - according to the insurance company's doctor - who has never even met me -- I need to lose "at least 85 pounds." My doctor blew a gasket when I took in the paper work and showed him. He said there was no way imaginable that I could lose anywhere near that amount of weight and be healthy.

I've been crying for the past two weeks because I am too fat for us to get medical insurance and trying to decide if I want to live on celery sticks for the rest of my life or if I want to go bury my sorrows in a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. :tongue_smilie: Biggest Loser is in town, seeking applicants for next season. I'm thinking about trying out.

Rant over...

Anyone else struggle with the BMI charts?

 

Oh my. This whole BMI thing has been a huge bone with me for a long time! Your experience makes me scared that my kids my have trouble getting insurance when they become adults. They are all tall, and have very large bones. My oldest is the shortest at 5'7 and she is slim to downright skinny, even to the point of her doctor encouraging us to watch that her weight doesn't drop too low. Yet according to the BMI charts, she is at risk for obesity:001_huh: It's a stupid way to determine health because it does NOT differentiate between muscle mass and fat mass, does NOT include bone mass in the weight equation, none of that. My son will most likely be well over 6' tall and already at 12 he has his birth father's build, the huge bones, the wide shoulders. If you've seen the movie 'The Blindside' that is what my son will most likely end up looking like. Very, very big. Sigh...

I honestly believe it really is all about the $.

:(

[mommaduck]

So, I wonder what they would say if you were underweight? I am 5'6" and about 110 pounds. I am not healthy. I am waiting for a bed to open for treatment for anorexia. From what my dietician tells me, there are plenty of dangers to being underweight. Would the insurance companies say anything about that?

My guess would be no, they would not be likely to say anything. When I married I was 5'7" and 100lbs (an inch taller and 10lbs lighter than you). I was extremely unhealthy also. :grouphug:

 

Society does see underweight people the same as they do overweight people. Even in casual conversation. If one is underweight and a conversation ensues about weight problems, that underweight person cannot say anything without getting shot down, "oh you can't talk, you don't know what it's like to be overweight and have to try to lose." For some reason they don't understand that the same/similar health problems occur in underweight people (heart, blood issues, sugar levels, image issues) and gaining can be as hard as losing, and for those genetically underweight even harder.

 

Now I'm on the other end at 170lbs (10pgs), but I'm healthier than I was at 100lbs.

[EmilyK]

For the people running up against this issue, are you covered/eligible through a group plan at someone's work? Or does this only come up when one is trying to get insurance independent of a group plan?

[silver]

The doctor's office that my children go to calculates BMI. Which I think is crazy. BMI is a bad measure for adults, and even worse for children. They even told me the BMI of my baby at her 1 week checkup. :tongue_smilie:

[plansrme]

They even told me the BMI of my baby at her 1 week checkup. :tongue_smilie:

 

Oh my goodness. If that isn't a tragedy waiting to happen, I don't know what is.

 

Terri

[mommaduck]

The doctor's office that my children go to calculates BMI. Which I think is crazy. BMI is a bad measure for adults, and even worse for children. They even told me the BMI of my baby at her 1 week checkup. :tongue_smilie:

If you can, find another ped or gp quickly! That is awful! My sil and I had to have separate peds for our first babies. The eastern Indian ped told me my EBF'd 10mos old was obese and would not walk till nearly 18mos. He walked that week. Yes, he was off the charts but he went from growing out to growing up. He was just a very healthy caucasian/native chunk of baby. I produced enough milk to feed four babies and it was high cream content :lol: She was a good doctor for my sil's baby though that was as small as my child was large. All the other peds wanted to run test after test on that poor child to find out why she was so small or if something was wrong. Uhm, no, the child is part Filipino and was genetically average for her ethnicity.

[Splash]

Wow, I wasn't aware this was going on. Thankfully we haven't run into this yet as dh would definitely not pass muster. He is 6'3" and very broad and muscular. The weight they want him to weigh would be less than he weighed in college and was running track. He is solid muscle.

[ChiMomNP]

For the people running up against this issue, are you covered/eligible through a group plan at someone's work? Or does this only come up when one is trying to get insurance independent of a group plan?

 

Yes, we are covered through a group plan at my DH's place of employment. This is a new requirement. I understand it, they are desperately trying to lower their risk/costs. It just caught us by surprise. I'll get myself down to their BMI targets. In my case there is no question, I'm overweight. I'm 5'3 and small framed, I need to lose it anyway.