Thread: I'm beginning to understand why teenagers have body image issues.

You have hit the problem with the BMI on the head: it doesn't determine health. The formula doesn't do a damn thing to determine the condition of one's body, as it cannot tell the difference between bone, muscle, fat, etc....

Interesting article on the BMI: Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus : NPR

Oh, Jesus Christ, not another math thread...

It wasn't BMI in particular, but I had a similar experience when the ex-wife tried to get me to go to Weight Watchers with her - They wanted me to get to a weight Below what I weighed in high school. I'm admittedly chunky now, but in HS I was on the track team and if anything a little bit on the skinny side IMO.

Looking at BMI, my HS weight would have been at the high end of 'healthy'. And I'm not even sure some of my skinny friends (at the time) would have managed to hit the low end of healthy. The healthiest I've ever been (a summer I worked an off shift and so had time to swim laps, plus was eating healthy) would still have been over their 'healthy' range.

Originally Posted by Porras

I'm a little bit of a fatty. Six feet tall and 210 pounds.

The equation to determine BMI is kg/m^2. For me, this means 95/3.3489. That's a BMI of 28.36 with the healthy weight scale being 18.5-25.

Now since I'm a bit of a fatty, you don't immediately notice the problem with the BMI until you look at what I'd have to lose to get to the bottom of the healthy range. 3.3489*18.5. That's 61.95 kg or 136 lbs. Basically that means I'd have to lose every ounce of fat on my body and probably every ounce of muscle. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy.

Does anyone else see a problem with this?

Six feet tall and 136 lbs doesn't sound very healthy to me. That's pushing anorexia territory.

I went to school with a guy who got kicked out of the army because his BMI was too high.

This guy was a health nut. He was just massive. Huge ass arms, huge legs, lifted and worked out constantly.

But his BMI was too high, and out he went.

BMI in and of itself is not a useful measure.

Matt

Originally Posted by Jefe

Six feet tall and 136 lbs doesn't sound very healthy to me. That's pushing anorexia territory.

I am 5'7 and between 85 and 100 lbs these days. I would say some people are just built small/aren't very heavy. Its not neccessarily an eating disorder or anything.

Originally Posted by Traveler

I am 5'7 and between 85 and 100 lbs these days. I would say some people are just built small/aren't very heavy. Its not neccessarily an eating disorder or anything.

Sorry, Trav, didn't mean to imply that everyone on the lighter side has some kind of eating disorder! I was just thinking out loud.. someone 6 foot tall @ 136 lbs would be pretty damn skinny.. compared to me, anyway. But I'm getting pretty damn fat (6'3" 245 lbs), so I should probably just shut up now, lol..

No worries. I didnt take it personally but when a lot of people see me they suddenly think "wow he must be annorexic" for some reason.

But don't worry you have a slight advantage being 6'3 and 245 lbs - you can say whatever you want and and i certainly won't be back chatting you given our size difference.

*Hides away in corner*

Originally Posted by Traveler

I am 5'7 and between 85 and 100 lbs these days. I would say some people are just built small/aren't very heavy. Its not neccessarily an eating disorder or anything.

I don't think I've ever known anyone that small. Here I am wishing I was only twice your weight.

Yeah but don't forget you have almost half a foot in height over me as well. See at my height my weight is not so bad, at your height that would probably be a bit too low.

I guess ultimately the weight is not the biggest concern, so long as you're healthy. There are people who weigh as much as me who literally have the worst lifestyles possible. There are some closer to your weight who are the beacon of good health. Honestly i wouldn't worry about it if you are healthy and feel good.

Oh, I'm definitely not healthy, but the cause and effect of weight versus health are reversed.

Ahh...

I've never really known anybody personally to suffer from it but they do say a lot of excess weight gain can be for medical related issues (thyroid problems and what not). I have never once taken the BMI seriously as i would be too low to even make it on the thing apparently but that doesn't worry me at all.

Have you spoken to a doctor about some of the concerns?

Not recently. My weight isn't directly related to my medical problems. (I'm only thirty pounds heavier than when I was fit) I have an orthopoedic condition which initially led to giving up my physically active job to delivering pizzas and then led to not even doing that. Really easy to pack on the pounds that way.