Forum: Internet Links
Topic: BMI any why it's a joke
started by: Malcolm

Posted by Malcolm on Aug. 26 2013,10:31
< From here >.
QUOTE
The problem stems from the fact that BMI is an inaccurate measure of health, Ahima said.

No shit.

QUOTE
So why is the measurement so widely used? "Because it's simple," Ahima said, adding that it's easy to weigh people and measure their height. For most people, BMI provides a "reasonable measure" of body fat, but is not accurate for athletes (who weigh more because of muscle) or older people who have lost height, he said.

Notice the bit in quotes.

QUOTE
There's no single number that can represent a healthy weight, Ahima said. It depends on starting weight, genetics and gender, among other factors.

Obesity is a complex disorder — it's not just having too much fat, he said. It's important to consider fat in relation to the amount of muscle.

Which is why the notion that a single measurement that can indicate your health even relatively accurately is complete bullshit.

Posted by Malcolm on Aug. 26 2013,10:31
Damnit, "any" in topic title should be "and"
Posted by thibodeaux on Aug. 26 2013,10:40
< http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health....tations >

"Although BMI can be used for most men and women, it does have some limits: It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build. It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle."

Wow. Didn't expect Uncle Sam to actually peddle non-nonsense.

You know, I'm not a huge fan of the BMI measurement myself. However, I *do* like the idea of simple, powerful tests. That said, there's an even simpler method for checking if you're overweight:

< Look in the goddamn mirror. >

Posted by Malcolm on Aug. 26 2013,11:16
If they weren't using the BMI to diagnose medical conditions, I wouldn't give a shit.
Posted by TheCatt on Aug. 26 2013,11:30

(thibodeaux @ Aug. 26 2013,13:40)
QUOTE
< Look in the goddamn mirror. >

The problem with that method is that most people look in the mirror and always see the last picture, regardless of what's actually there.

I'm not a huge fan of BMI, but I think it's reasonable for most people.  For me, I'd have to have 15% body fat or less to have a BMI in the normal range.  I think that's fine/reasonable.  That'd put me at 184 lbs, with non-fat weight of 160lbs.

Posted by thibodeaux on Aug. 26 2013,11:36

(Malcolm @ Aug. 26 2013,14:16)
QUOTE
If they weren't using the BMI to diagnose medical conditions, I wouldn't give a shit.

Yeah, that's kinda dumb. Unless they use it like a bloom filter and check the positives with something more accurate.
Posted by Malcolm on Aug. 26 2013,11:42
QUOTE
I think it's reasonable for most people

BMI is a place to begin, not stop.

Posted by Malcolm on Feb. 04 2016,10:54
< BMI = bullshit >.
QUOTE
"It's a preliminary screening tool. Higher BMI is associated with higher health risk, but it's not a health state," says Dr. Deborah Burnet, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago who didn't work on the study.

Why does this matter?
QUOTE
Some provisions of the Affordable Care Act and rules proposed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would allow employers to charge unhealthy employees up to 30 percent of health care costs based on conditions like being overweight or obese.
...
"We have this laser focus on weight, when this measure of body size doesn't get under the skin of what healthy markers are," she says. "We need to focus on actual health markers, rather than this outdated, very broad measure called BMI."

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