BMI Calculator and BMI Poll

[REWahoo]

Interesting that the men on the forum are 4x as likely to admit having a BMI over 30 as women. Me? I'm at 25 - less if I wear cowboy boots...

 

[Fireup2020]

Well, according to BMI charts, I have been "overweight" my entire life - but my doctors have never mentioned that. Go figure! I have never had a ballerina physique - but people still ask if I had been a gymnast! As long as my clothes from my 20's still fit, who am I to worry about this - apparently my weight is pretty "set" - and I am not about to stress over losing the last couple pounds to make a BMI chart happy.

 

[Amethyst]

Next you will be asking us to post our measurements

I just noticed that there are some very svelte women on this board. Almost half the women respoding are under BMI 21.
n
Ha

 

[BTravlin]

BMI of 25.1 so I'm just inside the overweight zone. 30th percentile

I don't care, I'm still not switching to lite beer.

 

[hakuna matata]

I don't care, I'm still not switching to lite beer.

Good answer! "lite' or 'light' shouldn't be associated with beer in any form of spelling. I figure just go to the gym on the elliptical for 20 minutes should take care of a good beer or two.

 

[Telly]

snip... You may notice that the calculator given has a switch for male/female. Believe it or not, simplicity can be good!

But the switch doesn't do anything for the BMI calculation. Try it. The BMI tables I have seen listed are unisex.

 

[Telly]

I think BMI is a good elegant tool for what it says it measures (26.6 here--DH is 23.7, curse him).

And carrying extra weight, be it in muscle or fat, still has to be hard on the body. I would imagine it's at least partly responsible for the knee problems a lot of former athletes have.

But what is "extra weight?" The BMI Table hits women who have a wide hip structure hard. But the "emaciated #### with 9 inch hips doing flamenco for foreigners" (a Monty Python routine!) would come out well. BMI is too simple of a metric in many instances.

 

[Westernskies]

Ha, now that you've met me, you can put me down for whatever you think is appropriate in your poll...

 

[NW-Bound]

Dang! I have always been proud of my BMI at 24.7, thinking that it would qualify me as skinny, but this poll puts me at just about average in this group.

Oh well, I am still in the 27th percentile of the general population.

My wife's BMI of 23.2 puts her in the 15th percentile, but only average compared to this group.

Combining this poll with the recent poll on net worth, one sees that the average member of this forum is wealthier and more fit than the general population. These two facts jibe.

 

[kyounge1956]

Had to go look up my weight online from my last doctor visit. If I use that weight, my BMI is 21.3 and if I assume I put on a few pounds over the winter as many people do, it would be a little over 22 instead of a little under.

 

[kombat]

I just noticed that there are some very svelte women on this board. Almost half the women respoding are under BMI 21.

I'm not surprised that a pool of respondants that trends toward a more senior age demographic would have well below-average bodyweight. The truth is, you don't see many 350 lb. 70-year olds. They simply don't live that long.

If the average age of this board is 65 (number picked out of thin air), and the average weight mirrored the general population, then that would imply that obesity has no effect on mortality. Which, of course, it does.

 

[simple girl]

My BMI is 21.5 and via the second link I am at the 10th percentile compared to others in my age group. It's not gonna stay that way if I keep eating out, though, LOL!

 

[Danmar]

Based on the calculator, they indicate a normal range for someone my height (6'2") is 144 to 194 lbs. 144 lbs equals BMI of 18.5 but I just cannot see that being healthy/normal as I would not have any muscle at all. I look quite thin now at 180 lbs with BMI of 23. I run 7 days a week and exercise/weights 3 days a week so not much flab.

Agree me too. I'm 6'4'' 206lbs. Quite happy with the way I look. BMI 25 which is on the edge of overweight. My mother thinks I'm way too skinny. I work out everyday so very good shape. Fat is 19% which is pretty good according to my doc. I think BMI ranges are generally for less muscular builds?
DW is 20.5 exceptionally fit and looks awesome.

 

[GregLee]

I'm not surprised that a pool of respondants that trends toward a more senior age demographic would have well below-average bodyweight. The truth is, you don't see many 350 lb. 70-year olds. They simply don't live that long.

If the average age of this board is 65 (number picked out of thin air), and the average weight mirrored the general population, then that would imply that obesity has no effect on mortality. Which, of course, it does.

I think it doesn't quite follow. People could be getting fatter as they age, so that as soon as one dies due to obesity, his contribution to the average weight is replaced by that of someone newly fat.

 

[haha]

But the switch doesn't do anything for the BMI calculation. Try it. The BMI tables I have seen listed are unisex.

I think they have to be by the definition of BMI. The interpretation might vary I guess.

Ha, now that you've met me, you can put me down for whatever you think is appropriate in your poll...

I'd say we are both about 18s. Although, if I should meet any other generous people who treat me to oysters and wine, I may climb up a bit!

Saludos to you and your lovely wife! It was super meeting you both.

Ha

 

[freebird5825]

29.9

I am 5'6" and have a large frame with long arms and legs.

I carry some extra weight around the middle. No complaints yet.

 

[Bestwifeever]

29.9

I am 5'6" and have a large frame with long arms and legs.

I carry some extra weight around the middle. No complaints yet.

I blame my two girls ("Real" and "Spectacular") for the percentage of my BMI that exceeds 25, and I think you can do the same

 

[Bestwifeever]

But what is "extra weight?" The BMI Table hits women who have a wide hip structure hard. But the "emaciated #### with 9 inch hips doing flamenco for foreigners" (a Monty Python routine!) would come out well. BMI is too simple of a metric in many instances.

In most instances I don't think it's too simple of a metric, personally--someone with 9 inch hips doing flamenco probably doesn't weigh much, does he (assuming as in all Monty Python skits the dancer is a man dressed up as a woman)?

But there is another tool called the "BAI" (body adiposity index, not blood alcohol index, although that might be interesting too --yeah, I know, it needs a separate poll about "what is your current blood alcohol index?") that is supposed to corelate more closely to fat percentage. It uses a hip to height ratio (but your 9-inch flamenco dancer will still be coming out well, I guess).

 

[Westernskies]

I blame my two girls ("Real" and "Spectacular") for the percentage of my BMI that exceeds 25...

Hopefully, they are twins?

 

[Helen]

BMI = 21.1. My partner and I bought a house 3 miles from where I work in mid January. I've been walking to and from work now instead of driving ~40 miles each way. I also cut out most processed food and most grains (no wheat or bread) from my diet and added a lot of salmon. I dropped 20 pounds in 3 months and never went hungry.
I also switched jobs so I will now be on call once every 14 weeks instead of every other week (I did every other week on call for the last seven years!). I am so ready to spend my weekends backpacking and hiking.

Life is good.

 

[plex]

BMI 21.2, bottom 20th percentile for my age (and I am about top 2nd or 3rd percentile for height at 6'3). I think overweight probably hits around bottom 35th percentile (66% of the population is overweight or obese). My BMI was lower when I was growing up and exercising quite often, usually 18-19.

 

[obgyn65]

BMI = 23.6. Would like to lower it to 21.

 

[racy]

Here's a BMI calculator that factors in your frame size:
A Healthy Body Weight For Men | LIVESTRONG.COM

"In 1964, Dr. George J. Hamwi published the Hamwi equation in a research article for the Journal of the American Diabetes Association. Since then, medical and health professionals have used the equation to determine proper body weight."

​

 

[eytonxav]

Here's a BMI calculator that factors in your frame size:
A Healthy Body Weight For Men | LIVESTRONG.COM

"In 1964, Dr. George J. Hamwi published the Hamwi equation in a research article for the Journal of the American Diabetes Association. Since then, medical and health professionals have used the equation to determine proper body weight."

I like this^^^^^^

 

[Danmar]

Here's a BMI calculator that factors in your frame size:
A Healthy Body Weight For Men | LIVESTRONG.COM

"In 1964, Dr. George J. Hamwi published the Hamwi equation in a research article for the Journal of the American Diabetes Association. Since then, medical and health professionals have used the equation to determine proper body weight."

​

Interesting. I do better on this one. 4 lbs over ideal weight for a 6'4" male. A medium build but more muscular than average I think. Body fat under 20%
The mirror confirms this IMHO.