“Do not use (or let anyone else use) your weight or BMI or any other measurement of body size or composition as an indicator of health.  None of these has been shown to be strongly related to or predictive of health.  People can be healthy at a wide range of weights, BMI’s, body fat percentages, etc.  Similarly, people with “normal” or “optimal” body composition measurements can have the same health problems that are often referred to as weight-related.”
- Dr. Jon Robison in, “10 Things You Can Do Right Now To Ease Concerns About Your Weight And Improve Your Health”

The Body Mass Index

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women (18-64 years). 

The result of the calculation is anywhere from 15 to 60, and an interpretation of the numbers is as follows:

Below 18.5 . . . . . . . . .Underweight

18.5 - 24.9 . . . . . . . . . Normal

25.0 - 29.9 . . . . . . . . . Overweight

30 - 34.9 . . . . . . . . . . .Obese

35 and Above . . . . . . . Morbidly Obese

Generally everything above 30 is considered “obese” or “morbidly obese,” but it’s broken down a little more here, so we can see when this medical terminology is generally applied.

This morning, I thought I would calculate my own BMI for you, so that we could start to understand how wrong and demoralizing such a measure can be to fellow human beings. 

Luckily for my sense of self-worth and my self-esteem, I do not believe in BMI as a valuable measure of, well, anything, but unfortunately many people, when told their BMIs, become shocked and disappointed and try to change their lives in the wrong ways (i.e. through dieting and weight loss). If I believed that a BMI was a true indicator of my overall health and that the messages we got about higher BMIs were true, I would be gravely disappointed.

So, without further ado . . . drum roll please… … … … … … … … … …

As of 9:40 a.m. this morning, my BMI came in at a whopping 31.2!

Now, shouldn’t I be quite concerned about this, start exercising five times a week, cut out high calorie foods in my diet, and panic that I may become an early candidate to the grave? Many would have you think so.

So What Is BMI Leaving Out

But hang on. Fortunately, I’ve done a little research of my own on this so called BMI calculator. Here are some concerns with the system that I’d like to raise.

What about muscle mass and bone density?

BMI has no way of differentiating between fat, muscle, bone density or anything else. Muscle is heavier than fat, so the more muscular you are, the higher your BMI, in many cases. Indeed, all NFL players are “obese” or even “morbidly obese,” some quite muscular and others quite fat - many both. Are we really to believe that they aren’t fit and that their BMI is an indicator of their health?

Were my body’s caloric needs and food consumption factored in personally?

No, they weren’t.  I eat a healthy diet consisting of all food groups and do not restrain myself from eating anything. That means that, because I listen to my body, it gets the nourishment it needs when it needs it. That behavior is indicative of health but not accounted for in BMI.

Was my age or current health status as an individual factored in?

No, is wasn’t.  Studies show that even as “obesity” and “overweight” populations have increased (though that trend stopped a few years ago, and in women it stopped in 1999), we continue to live longer than ever before (http://www.google.com/publicdata). Granted, that’s potentially correlative rather than causal, but studies also show that those in the “overweight” and “obese” BMI ranges live longer.

After considering just a few of these factors about BMI, would you believe that an “obese” to “morbidly obese” person could run for 10 kilometers?  Well, you should, because plenty out there can, including me. I’ve been classed in both of those categories, which means many doctors, before looking at me further, would start a conversation with me based on me needing to get healthier.

But this isn’t about me and my health. It’s about the way that we perceive other people and their health based on their physical appearances. You can’t judge people or their health by how they look. We just don’t know.

Brought to you by: Plus-SizeBra.com

As a personal trainer who's always loved her body, Sue Bary was tired of being classified as 'mildly obese' and wanted to help others experience Enjoyable Body Movement without being subject to the usual verbiage of weight loss and dieting. Thus, she created enarji, a personal training practice steeped in the Health at Every Size approach and attitude. To learn more about Sue, click here. Because you are a special More of Me to Love member, Sue wants you to enjoy a FREE consultation through enarji's Virtual Health Coach services. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to schedule your free consultation today!