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Old Crank

(6,716 posts)

37. BMI / Height for obesity has its flaws.

Tue Dec 30, 2025, 07:08 AM

Dec 30

It needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
Most athletes will be overweight or obese based on BMI.
Muscle is heavier than fat for the same volume. Finding your body fat percentage would be a better measure. Fat calipers or the gold standard, submerged volume. I had a scale that would give me a reading of % body fat. However I would suggest that for most Americans the BMI measurement is a reasonable starting point. If your BMI is high and you don't do anything you should go talk to your doctor and see what your body chemistry is like and work to reduce some of the fat layer. (and fat around internal organs)

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More than 75% of US adults may meet criteria for obesity under new definition: Study [View all] BumRushDaShow Dec 29 OP

I'll stick with BMI thank you. 3 links in I can't find the definition underpants Dec 29 #1

Here's the links to the BRI and BMI calculators. sinkingfeeling Dec 29 #3

Okay. I stay at 220 for the BMI underpants Dec 29 #8

Starts with demographics. sinkingfeeling Dec 29 #15

Both of these say I'm fat. Kida sucks. n/t SpankMe Dec 29 #25

Uh huh. Why do smell the whiff of big pharma around the edges? I love when they do this. It's not the first time Vinca Dec 29 #2

Exactly. Maybe someday the focus can embrace lifestyle changes like nutrition, exercise and stress management. TheRickles Dec 29 #6

The Trump admin is all about the new weight loss drugs. yardwork Dec 29 #9

Has RFKjr seen Trump? NotHardly Dec 29 #10

I can't explain it either. yardwork Dec 29 #13

This has been known for years NickB79 Dec 29 #11

What that weird drug does to people really creeps me out. ananda Dec 29 #17

Some of the effects now being slightlv Dec 29 #21

Insurance companies Old Crank Dec 30 #35

Few of us meet the ever-changing standards, but here we are. Living and breathing. I'm about to turn 77. Vinca Dec 30 #36

75 in March Old Crank Dec 30 #38

(Warning: Ranty) Fat people being unhealthy is not universal any more than Bettie Dec 30 #43

In ten years most of us will be on ozempic diets thought crime Dec 31 #45

BMI is junk science angrychair Dec 29 #4

I agree. Americanme Dec 29 #12

sounds like you are doing great Skittles Dec 30 #44

The correlation between obesity and health issues is unquestionable NickB79 Dec 29 #14

i'm 6'2", 265 lbs and 14% body fat. According to BMI, I am obese. AZLD4Candidate Dec 29 #24

And they're also at risk of many of the same health problems NickB79 Dec 30 #41

Well, Just Change back to the old definition! raccoon Dec 29 #5

Move More OC375 Dec 29 #7

Move more and eat less FakeNoose Dec 29 #23

So with such statistics the logical approach would be for the gov to have a plan to combat it. twodogsbarking Dec 29 #16

Arnold in his is prime would have been morbidly obese according to doc03 Dec 29 #18

Stop the testing JoseBalow Dec 29 #19

6'-5" @ 219 lbs coming from a loudmouth soon yonder Dec 29 #20

BMI also isn't a very good health indicator for some ethnic groups fujiyamasan Dec 29 #22

Bingo. Visceral fat is the killer. Belly fat. LiberalArkie Dec 30 #32

so - you redefine 'obesity' to the point where it becomes an irrelevance - and people stopdiggin Dec 29 #26

Too much unhealthy, processed food is marketed at us everywhere we turn. Diamond_Dog Dec 29 #27

This is correct oswaldactedalone Dec 29 #28

This makes sense gristy Dec 30 #31

In a nutshell oswaldactedalone Dec 30 #39

Who is going to tell Chump BidenRocks Dec 29 #29

It just told me the old joke "One at a time on the scale". chouchou Dec 30 #30

I'm not fat. I'm what they call a "bear". QueerDuck Dec 30 #33

I'd be a stick figure if I followed the BRI debsy Dec 30 #34

BMI / Height for obesity has its flaws. Old Crank Dec 30 #37

I started intermittent fasting last May Tree Lady Dec 30 #40

Anyone with a gut is going to be obese under BRI. maxsolomon Dec 30 #42

The American diet doesn't help. Aussie105 Dec 31 #46

Restrict diet soda, skim milk, seed oils, salt, processed food, fruit juice, fake meat GreatGazoo Jan 1 #47