BMI - Helpful or Bullsh*t?

[Sandpiper]

To me, Body Mass Index (BMI) seems like it's just a notch above useless in determining how obese/overweight/fit a person is.

The number it produces is based on height, weight, and nothing else.

It doesn't account for the fact that people have different body types: slender, average, stocky, etc.

It doesn't account for muscle to fat ratio either.


Yet it constantly gets bandied about as the best indicator of whether a person needs to lose weight.

Why?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. I think it's bullshit.

The best thing to go on is talk to your doc and ask them if they think you are at a healthy weight.

If I dropped every pound of fat on my body, I'd still be 20 pounds over the max. BMI for a healthy weight.

[semillama]

2. BMI was probably intended for the "average" american couch potato

of course, no such beast exists.

I think the mirror is the best way to gauge if you are overweight or not. Of course, this doesn't really work for people with eating disorders, but for other folks it's probably quite handy.

bodyfat percentage as measured by water displacement is supposed to be the best way if you are looking for a number, if I recall correctly.