Why the BMI is Bogus

I've often thought the BMI measurement and reliance on it had an scoop of BS about it, especially when our pediatrician said our 3 year old had a concerning BMI. Same for a one pound difference making me all of a sudden overweight.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...39&sc=fb&cc=fp

[Bittersweet]

Interesting read. I too have questioned its reliability. According to BMI, my DH, who has larger bones and naturally carries more muscle, qualified as overweight even at his leanest. He’d have to lose a limb to be within BMI’s healthy range.

[MrsK]

BMI doesn't work for DrK either. He'd be grossly obese if we applied BMI weight standards to his frame even at his leanest. Our GP told us that they'd pretty much have to put him in a tank of water and do a displacement test to really know his body mass index.

[alison]

Why not go for more scientifically sound means of evaluating our bodies when we can check our BMIs on the Wii Fit? Thanks for posting this!

[MarissaNicole]

I have always thought it seemed rediculous - especially since men and women use the same index... that doesn't seem right for men to be the same weight as a woman of the same height. Not to mention that muscle weighs more than fat, so you could be totally out of shape and still have a "healthy" BMI and a muscular person is going to most likely be "overweight."

[bokelley]

Oh I hate the BMI. I think it is a big load of crap. There are so many things that they do not take into consideration. Back in my home state (Arkansas) I know the started talking about putting the BMI of the child on report cards. We moved (big surprise) before the decision was made. I have a really good friend who is about my height (5 foot) and weights like 170 lbs. But she is ALL muscle. Her BMI would be off the chart, but she is not overwieght by any means. I remember from one of my college elective classes, Food and Nutrition, that BMI was useless. They had some other way of doing it, I don't recall right off.

[ides]

ugh. I hate BMI. I've always been 'heavy' even when thin.

[samssugarmomma]

another hater of the BMI!

[Tenacious_D]

Why not go for more scientifically sound means of evaluating our bodies when we can check our BMIs on the Wii Fit? Thanks for posting this!

My Wii fit: "You're obese" But it says it with such a perky little voice!

[bokelley]

My Wii fit: "You're obese" But it says it with such a perky little voice!

[alison]

I always heard it as "that's obese!"