BMI.....ridiculous

Hey all,

So, I wanted to discuss the BMI some more. This scale was created between 1830 and 1850 by Adolphe Quetelet. Yet, since that time, I know of no study that has either tried to verify or correct this data. While I am not a full blown expert, I do read weigh loss articles where this statistic is used regularly. It does harken back to the idea that this scale is soley based on weight and doesn't bear in mind body fat. I think that body fat percentages (which are not perfect either) would be a better indicator of overall health of an individual and our nation en masse. Moreover, I don't believe the BMI to be a tough fix.

Next, it would not be difficult to adjust the BMI to increase its accuracy. The research design is simple. You take people's height and weight, but you also measure their body fat percentage using the water based method of discovering body fat (it's the most accurate). After a sample of 10,000 or so, you should have an accurate comparison. After adding or substracting a small number from the weight or height, there would be a better picture of this nation's health.

Finally, I think the reason that this hasn't been done has to be addressed. Scientists receive large grants of $500,000 to fix this "problem". If weight loss is their livelihood, there may be no incentive to actually discover a long term weight loss program. Also, the research in this area is scarily consistent. After six months of weight loss programs, participants have lost 8% of their body weight. However, the program ends, and they are just followed by the study. At which point, they slowly gain the weight back. These studies need to last for a longer period of time (some do) and see if the programs actually work over the long term. Still, the first question needs to be asked, is the weight problem as serious as we've been told? Until the BMI is replaced with something better or is corrected, we'll never know.

Being fat and the BMI

Hey all,

You know that statistic that says people in this country are largely overweight and obese? Well, if you don't, experts say that 2/3 of this nation is overweight and half of those are obese. These numbers are based solely on information obtained with the BMI or Body Mass Index. It's a simple calculation: Body weight in kilograms divided by height squared (in meters). For example, I weigh 330 pounds divided by 2.2 which is 150 kg. My height is 6 feet or 72 inches times 0.0254 which equals 1.83 meters. That squared is 3.445. So, 150 divided by 3.445 equals 43.54. According to their standard, I am morbidly obese, and this may be correct. However, I could lose 110 pounds, and I would be just under obese (BMI =29).

Now, there is no question that we consuming more food today than we ever have before. However, we also consuming more meat than ever before. Also, our food contains many additives that may affect our weight which just makes us larger. Another increasingly popular trend is weight lifting. It's attractive for men to be muscular, and, likewise, there is a level of fitness that women aspire towards which might pack on some muscular weight. It's an easy measure, but it is flawed. I will continue to talk about this issue in my next post. Stay tuned.