In this article the idea of BMI was discussed. A BMI, which
stands for body mass index, is how doctors measure where someone sits on the
spectrum between underweight and obese. Body mass index estimates the amount of
body fat that a person carries based on their height and weight. This is the
method used by doctors because it is relatively inexpensive and easy to
execute. However, it has been argued that the BMI reading can not be considered
accurate for a few different reasons.
One of these reasons is that when determining a person’s BMI
it is not taken into account that a person’s weight may be heavier due to being
more muscular. Since muscle weighs more than fat an individual could weigh a
certain amount and be deemed obese even though they have relatively low body
fat and are not facing the usual health risks that an obese person would face.
Also, during a BMI reading it is not able to be distinguished which type of fat
a person is carrying. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is more harmful to
an individual than fat that is just under the skin. This means that an
individual who is relatively small but has a high level of visceral fat could
be more at risk for health issues than someone who has a higher number of the
scale but a lower level of visceral fat. Though BMI is not the best way to
distinguish where someone stands on the weight class spectrum, other ways that would
be more accurate are often more expensive and therefore not utilized.
This article stuck out to me because I had a friend recently
who called me crying after a doctor’s appointment she had. She just recently
had a baby and had went in for a check-up where they took her BMI reading. She
was told by her doctor that she was obese. That word alone has so much
negativity attached to it that it caused my already stressed and hormonal
friend to basically break down. My friend is around 5’5 and though a little
chubby she is not what ANYONE would think of when they think of the word obese.
This got me thinking. I too have been discouraged by my own
BMI reading but quickly learned to not let it define me. However, many people
take being told they are obese as a serious confidence blow and self esteem shot.
Some may use it as a tool to start living healthier but to others it just makes
them severely depressed, as it did my friend. If doctors and health
professionals are going to use a term that makes an individual feel so
negatively about themselves, shouldn’t it be based on a more accurate science? If
there is a more accurate way to determine an individuals body composition then I
believe doctors owe it to their patient to utilize that instead of doing what
is easy and has been done for years but may be based on not sound science.
My advice to all you out there, Ignore the BMI reading,
ignore the scale, and don’t let your weight class define you. Maintaining a
healthy weight is important for living an overall healthy lifestyle, strive to
change your health status not the weight class in which you fall!
Suzi, thank you for your post! I feel that after reading through this post that I now have more knowledge on BMI and the good and bad related to it. I have heard that BMI is not always accurate because it gets weight confused with a persons muscle mass. I also dislike the fact that you cannot tell which type of fat that your body is carrying. I feel like that would be a good fact to know when finding out a persons body mass index. I know some people who get very upset when they find out their BMI because they think that it means that they are obese. I disagree with that because that is not at all what it means. It is only showing you how much fat your body contains, but again, it gets confused with a persons muscle mass, which can make the reading inaccurate. I agree completely with your last statement that you should forget about your BMI reading and scale as well. You should try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and not get discouraged by the numbers that are given to you. Thank you for this helpful information!
ReplyDeleteI needed to know the information put on your post. This information was so helpful because many of us are so focused on our weight and overall image of how people view us when that should be the least of our worries. I think saying someone is obese because of their BMI is ridiculous and sends people in a state of shock and depression. Looking at ourselves we would never consider ourselves to be fat, but when a doctor tells you, you're obese that becomes a little scary. So, to know a BMI reading is no true is a great fact and great information everyone should know.
ReplyDeleteThis is full of useful information. I agree with you that people should not define themselves by their weight. Each person is built a certain way and if they know that they are living a healthy lifestyle, they should not be worried about what someone says about their weight. We should always look at ourselves in a bright and positive way and ignore people who judge us. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really good article. I think everything you said is very true. No offense to exclude guys but I think very often us as women can get discourages when weight is a topic of discussion. If BMI scales have been known to not be accurate for so long, I wonder why have they been used for so long. This was a great blog!!
ReplyDeleteThis post is full of very useful information. The BMI system in my opinion is outdated. I think we need to factor in other parts of health including: mental health, physical activity and also nutrition to determine if we need to need to alter ourselves. Many factors go into what makes us healthy and I refuse to use a chart. Great post!
ReplyDeleteGot a lot out of this topic and was so helpful. Not everybody is made the same. Everyone is different in height, weight, looks. Getting called fat or to big shouldn't be called upon. You are who you are and theres nothing you can do about but be positive towards life. BMI isn't that important to me. You should forget about the reading and focus on who you want to be.
ReplyDeleteGood blog b/c I know little to nothing about BMI. I love how you connected with the reader(s) and finished off the blog with the "don’t let your weight class define you" comment. Thanks for the informative blog. Keep up the work!
ReplyDeleteThis blog was very informative, and a very good read. I am glad I read this because the topic of BMI is always up for discussion. Also people are always worried about being healthy and considered healthy by their doctors, and I think once they read this article it will help ease their minds. Can't wait to read your future posts.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. I love this topic. I know of many people who have been discouraged by their BMI reading because it is not what anyone expects it to be. So this theory does make sense. I did not know that muscle is not taken into consideration so I am glad that you chose to talk about it because I do know that muscle weighs more than fat and really does contribute to your weight. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteSuzi, I completely agree with you when discussing BMI. Muscles do weigh more than fat. I had a friend that was attending EIU on a track scholarship, and when he visited the doctor the doctor stated that he was considered overweight. It was obvious that he was not overweight nor was he even average. He was quite built for being a runner with a six-pack. So I agree, BMI is not everything.
ReplyDelete