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BMI does correlate with body fat percentage, but not perfectly. It varies with age and gender.
There are other studies besides the one above.
BMI is good enough to come up with categories of degrees of obesity. Measuring waist circumference is also useful. The primary reason BMI is used is because it is derived from two easily obtained measurements, making it easy to use in the office. The people for whom it is really inaccurate will flunk the BMI screen but will on further evaluation be found to be normal. The folks who are complaining about BMI are for the most part athletes. The vast majority of folks who are obese by BMI are also obese by determination of body fat percentage. From the study above, BMI and body fat percentage will match about seven or eight times out of ten.
If we stop trying to make BMI something it was never intended to be the controversy vanishes.
For the average person being overweight in terms of BMI is a very good indication that you are well....fat.
Honestly though, do we really need an index to tell us whether we're fat? Its pretty obvious if you look in the mirror...though I suppose some are deluded about their weight?
What people call "build" is really about fat and how it distributes itself on your body. Remove the fat and everyone pretty much has the same build, just some mirror differences in bone structure, muscle structure, etc.
Regardless, the "BMI is useless" theme is just part of the effort to legitimize being fat.
BMI does correlate with body fat percentage, but not perfectly. It varies with age and gender.
There are other studies besides the one above.
BMI is good enough to come up with categories of degrees of obesity. Measuring waist circumference is also useful. The primary reason BMI is used is because it is derived from two easily obtained measurements, making it easy to use in the office. The people for whom it is really inaccurate will flunk the BMI screen but will on further evaluation be found to be normal. The folks who are complaining about BMI are for the most part athletes. The vast majority of folks who are obese by BMI are also obese by determination of body fat percentage. From the study above, BMI and body fat percentage will match about seven or eight times out of ten.
If we stop trying to make BMI something it was never intended to be the controversy vanishes.
Both are excellent points.
I work out a lot: weightlifting, running and basketball. I also eat a mostly healthy diet. My BMI is 26.5, which puts me in the overweight category. My waist size has also gone from a 34" to 36". I think the BMI is pretty accurate. I should drop at least 10 pounds to get back to a 34" waist and this would be a 25.0 BMI. I think the BMI is pretty accurate.
BMI does correlate with body fat percentage, but not perfectly. It varies with age and gender.
There are other studies besides the one above.
BMI is good enough to come up with categories of degrees of obesity. Measuring waist circumference is also useful. The primary reason BMI is used is because it is derived from two easily obtained measurements, making it easy to use in the office. The people for whom it is really inaccurate will flunk the BMI screen but will on further evaluation be found to be normal. The folks who are complaining about BMI are for the most part athletes. The vast majority of folks who are obese by BMI are also obese by determination of body fat percentage. From the study above, BMI and body fat percentage will match about seven or eight times out of ten.
If we stop trying to make BMI something it was never intended to be the controversy vanishes.
NO, it does not. DR. FRIEDMAN STUDIES THIS DIRECTLY.
BMI does correlate with body fat percentage, but not perfectly. It varies with age and gender.
There are other studies besides the one above.
BMI is good enough to come up with categories of degrees of obesity. Measuring waist circumference is also useful. The primary reason BMI is used is because it is derived from two easily obtained measurements, making it easy to use in the office. The people for whom it is really inaccurate will flunk the BMI screen but will on further evaluation be found to be normal. The folks who are complaining about BMI are for the most part athletes. The vast majority of folks who are obese by BMI are also obese by determination of body fat percentage. From the study above, BMI and body fat percentage will match about seven or eight times out of ten.
If we stop trying to make BMI something it was never intended to be the controversy vanishes.
*NORMAL WEIGHT OBESITY- There PLENTY of this : soft untoned sloppy builds despite appearing "thin"
*DIFFERENT LEAN LOOKS AT THE SAME WEIGHT ( same person is 6' 2' 180 then 212, then 170 , etc. looking DIFERENT at all weights- INCLUDING LOOKING BETTER at a greater weight ( leaner0
BMI DOES NOT MEASURE ADIPOSITY AT ALL. DEXA SCANS DO. BOTTOM LINE
IT IS NOT VALID. THAT IS ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. IT DOES NOT MEASURE INTRAMUSCLULAR FAT OR BODY FAT DIRECTLY.
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