Question about BMI calculation

[Jenny in GA]

Someone recently posted that she was excited that she got her BMI down to about 20, and mildly lamented that it was still close to 21.

Congrats, by the way!

 

But now I'm worried, because I'm at 22.5 and had always thought I was "fine."

 

So I just looked up the chart. It said "normal weight" was anymore between 18.5 and 24.9.

 

Umm .... isn't that kind of a big range?

 

I played with the numbers and saw that my "normal weight" is anywhere between 120 and 158.

 

So, um, which is it? At 148 pounds currently, am I at a "good weight," or am I 28 pounds overweight?? :confused:

 

Is there more to calculating exactly where in the range you should be?

[Negin]

[NanceXToo]

It is a fairly wide range but I wouldn't stress over it too much. People have different frames and builds and ages and amounts of muscle and so on. Somebody with more muscle or a bigger 'frame' to begin with, or somebody who is older as opposed to back when they were a teen, wouldn't necessarily look as good at the lower end of that range as somebody else. I would just focus on where you think you look and feel the most comfortable and healthy and good about yourself and not so much on where you fall on a chart. I'm 5'7" and while I might have looked great at 123 lbs in my teens I'm pretty positive it would look ridiculous on me now. 150's or 160's on the other hand would look great on me. I've got a more medium "build," not a tiny frame to begin with. (ETA: actually I guess I'm a "large frame" going by the site someone linked below!) I know I'll look and feel good there. Just focus on where YOU look and feel good about yourself. :)

Edited March 16, 2012 by NanceXToo

[coffeegal]

So, um, which is it? At 148 pounds currently, am I at a "good weight," or am I 28 pounds overweight?? :confused:

 

Is there more to calculating exactly where in the range you should be?

 

What's your bone structure like? Do you have a small frame for your height, medium frame, or large frame? More importantly, do you feel good at your weight? A friend on mine feels best on the heavier side of her range. I feel best on the lighter side of mine. Old injuries don't hurt as much, my feet don't give me as many problems, and I just feel better. :001_smile:

 

Here's a site for more information: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/ideal_body_weight.htm

[Jenny in GA]

 

Here's a site for more information: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/ideal_body_weight.htm

 

GASP!!!!

 

According to that, I am a small frame and therefore almost 20 pounds overweight!!

And all these years I thought I was "fine."

 

Cr@@@@@@P!!!!!!

[beaners]

 

It looks like this site is no longer in existence, so I can't figure out how these numbers were determined. Do you know?

 

I'm "normal short" so between 5'2" and 5'3". At 20 weeks pregnant I'm still within this range. I can guarantee this isn't a healthy weight for me when I'm not pregnant, and I'm even a bit heavy for this stage of pregnancy. I do not have the extremely small structure I have seen on a few other people my height. I tend to a more muscular and therefore heavier build, and that high end weight is still too high for me to be active without aching joints.

 

GASP!!!!

 

According to that, I am a small frame and therefore almost 20 pounds overweight!!

And all these years I thought I was "fine."

 

Cr@@@@@@P!!!!!!

 

 

If all of these years you have been able to participate in activities you enjoy without your weight being a limiting factor, you probably are fine. If you are within the BMI standards, able to run around the park playing with children, able to carry groceries in from the car, and so on - you probably are fine.

 

I was a Division I long-distance runner, and the low end of the BMI standards are out of reach for me. I weighed 110 pounds in 8th grade running with the high school team. (I am never going to weigh as an adult what I weighed at 12.) I can put my fingers around my wrist. The lower limits of BMI/weight calculations are designed for people with a far more delicate structure than my own. Again, I bet you are fine.

[Jen in PA]

 

This chart seems to have much higher healthy weights than I have seen elsewhere. I know that I would look unhealthy if I went much past the mid-range of what they have listed for my height.

[Scuff]

I think we focus too much on the scale and our pants to tell us if we're doing well or not. Do you stuff yourself when you eat, or stop when your full? Do you eat too many sweets? Are you somewhat active? If we are able to honestly look at these things, we mnow if we're healthy or if we ned to make changes. That link above says that I should weigh 120-125. I weighed 135 as a teenage long-distance track runner with very little body fat. Now, I'm very comfortable around 150 lbs. and a sz 14. But I'm built small on top, with birthing hips. On the Biggest Loser episode this week, one of the ladies went shopping and was a sz 10 and still 185 lbs. But she's built the opposite, large busted and smaller on the botom. We're all diffrent. Do what is healthy most of the time and you'll be fine.

[kiana]

This chart seems to have much higher healthy weights than I have seen elsewhere. I know that I would look unhealthy if I went much past the mid-range of what they have listed for my height.

 

The high end of the range would be right at a BMI of 25, for me.

 

Different people will look odd at different weights. My mother has a delicate frame and would look chubby anywhere over 150, whereas I'd have to lose a lot of muscle mass to get DOWN to 150.

[amy g.]

I just did the wrist test, and my thumb and finger are practically an inch away from each other. I guess that means I have a large frame. I always thought it was medium.

[Jen in PA]

The high end of the range would be right at a BMI of 25, for me.

 

Different people will look odd at different weights. My mother has a delicate frame and would look chubby anywhere over 150, whereas I'd have to lose a lot of muscle mass to get DOWN to 150.

 

Ah, the BMI for the top range in mine is over 27 -- that's quite a difference!

[redsquirrel]

BMIs are very helpful for assessing and comparing large groups of people, but not so great for an individual.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

 

You might find the section on limitations interesting.

 

I don't mean to say that weight or assessing weight for health purposes isn't important, but don't let a chart determine your self esteem.

 

There is a wide range of weights in each category because there is a large range of body types. Plus the BMI is about health, not visual appearance. If you think you would be 'fat' at the higher end of the range, fine. But you wouldn't be unhealthy. If someone is too low then they are underweight and that should be addressed. Many actresses are well below a healthy BMI. A friend who works in the business says that lowest BMI minus 20 lbs is a fairly standard goal.

 

I am petite but curvy. And, when I say curvy I mean that I am a healthy weight but am a D cup and my waist is at least 10 inches smaller than my hips. I long for that 20 BMI, but it isn't going to happen. And, if it did, I wouldn't look right.

[Negin]

I don't mean to say that weight or assessing weight for health purposes isn't important, but don't let a chart determine your self esteem.

So true.

 

The more I have read and keep reading, the more I realize that waist measurement is KEY. Everything I read leads me to believe that the most important factor for health is your waist size -- not an arbitrary number on a scale. In my reading I have discovered that the fat around your mid-section actually acts as an organ--secreting hormones and disrupting your health. It adheres to your internal organs. It is not good. That is what I want gone. :)

I have come to the realization that weight and waist measurement are very closely related. I don't think I have ever been at an ideal weight and had a large waist, or vice versa, had a small waist and weighed a lot. I guess the two do go hand-in-hand ... Just different ways of measuring, I guess. I figure they're both important. I just read this from one of the links below: "As your weight changes, you can expect to lose about 1" from your waistline for each 6-8 lbs of weight loss."

 

http://www.collectivewizdom.com/NormalWaistSize.html

 

BMI’s downfall is that it does not take into account body composition - whether or not excess weight is fat or muscle - which is why fit people often find themselves in the fat category of the BMI rating system.

The important thing to consider is how body fat is distributed around the body, as the real problems occur when fat accumulates in the central abdominal region.

Some physicians suggest that a waist circumference measurement is more informative, in that it is a direct measure of the part of the body that tends to accumulate fat.Having a waistband of more than 35in in women and 40in in men indicates the highest risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. There is an increased risk of the diseases for women with measurements of more than 32in and men whose measurement is over 37in.

 

Many of us have been programmed to worship a number on the scale, but waist circumference is more important than weight. A large waist can increase your risk of insulin resistance, the body’s inability to process sugars, which raises your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Women should have no more than a 35-inch waist, and men should measure 40-inches or less. If your waist circumference is more than that, the advice is simple: Cut down on food intake, exercise more – or even better, do a combination of the two.

 

The best way to reduce your waist size is first to get as close as you can to your ideal body weight. In addition to that, research studies have found that certain foods can help you to reduce fat around your abdomen, particularly foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as halibut and salmon.

 

It turns out that your waistline measurement may tell us more about your overall health than any other statistic. Why? All fat is not created equal. And fat around the middle may be the worst fat of all.

Your waist line measurement may be the most important indicator of your overall health.

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439

Edited March 16, 2012 by Negin in Grenada