BMI? What is that all about?
Happy Monday, folks!
Hope you had a nice relaxing weekend. Today, my blog is touching on, in my opinion, one of the confusing topics in health and fitness: BMI or Body Mass Index. Whether we want to believe it or not, being overweight is not good for your health and lifespan. But according to their BMI, some of the world's top athletes are classed as 'overweight'... But why?
Here's an alarming statistic!!
In the UK, 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese.
WOW!!
So, what is 'BMI'?
BMI is basically a measure that most people can use to see if they are a healthy weight for their height. 'Healthy' or 'ideal' BMI in adults is between 18.5 - 24.9. If your BMI is less than 18.5, you weigh less than is ideal for you height. If you weigh more than 24.9, you weigh more than is ideal for you height:
25-29.9 is overweight
30-39.9 is obese
40 or more is very obese
If you fall into the above categories, you may want to think about losing weight. Being overweight can lead to one of the following diseases:
heart disease
stroke
type 2 diabetes
some types of cancer
high blood pressure (hypertension)
kidney disease
However, as already stated, if you measure less than 18.5, you also run the risk of:
brittle bones (osteoporosis)
absent periods in women (amenorrhoea)
iron deficiency anaemia
That's the fact of the matter, however, is BMI the be all and end all of healthy measurements? The problem with BMI is that it is worked out by calculating by mulitplying weight by height. It doesn't take into consideration how much muscle a person has. Take a professional rugby player for example. They must train their bodies to the maximum during the season. Most, if not all of them are in prime physical condition and their bodies reflect that. However, if you calculated their BMI, it would probably say that it they are 'Obese' or 'Overweight' at the very least.
Most of us know that muscle weighs more than fat, as it is denser - Therefore the more muscle you have (i.e. rugby players), using BMI may not give an accurate indication of their health risks.
So, what should you believe I hear you cry! Well, BMI isn't useless - If you are super fit or your body fat is distributed all over your body, you exercise regularly, and eat lots of healthy foods, you shouldn't worry too much about what your BMI says.
BMI Vs Body Fat %
If you're still not convinced about BMI and it's accuracy, then I would suggest getting a body fat analysis check carried out on your body.
Your body fat % is a much more accurate guide for you. In a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in early 2000, it showed that body-fat percentage may be a better measure of your risk of weight-related diseases than BMI.
Your body fat % is the total weight of a personals fat divided by the weight. The fat is classified into two categories: essential body fat and stored body fat. Essential body fat is needed to maintain normal body functions - Hence being 'essential' Men should have somewhere in the region of 2-4% essential fat, while women should have 8-12%. Women naturally have more fat for some various reasons, such as hormones and possible child bearing purposes.
My personal opinion would be to use the BMI scale as a guide. If you know you are not exercising as much as you should be, and/or not eating healthy, it may be worth speaking with your doctor about BMI. However, if you are exercising regularly, quite fit and eating right and I would hop on to some body fat scales or have your body fat tested with calipers.
I use BMI as a guide, as i'm classed as over weight with a BMI of 25.5. I exercise 3-4 times a week in between clients and my diet is good.
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to get in touch with me!
Have a great week!
In best of health
Mike
