Body Mass Index Feedback

This page is feedback about the Body Mass Index or BMI, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell someone about BMI?

Subj: BMI says I’m obese
Date: 2/8/2007
I am 6′ 4″ and weigh around 240 lbs. I am very muscular and not fat. Yet the BMI says I’m obese. What a load of horsecrap. Simple minded “indicators” like BMI make doctors and organizations who give them credence seem like idiots.

Flippy

AskDocWeb: Very muscular people should use the Lean BMI Calculator, that tells a different story.

Subj: A different way to calculate it
Date: 2/27/2007
Ok, I have another question like the other ones. This is my situation, I am 20 years old. I go to the gym all the time. I bench 350 and squat 600. I also run three times a week. How of do you think it is how could I find out a different way to calculate it. I feel as if I’m athletic and have a good size frame.

Joseph

AskDocWeb: In your situation we would be more concerned about the percentage of body fat than your BMI. You need something more specific than a general BMI. Get a good body fat caliper and you can check this yourself rather than paying someone else to do it for you, especially if you are going to track it over time.

Subj: Like this calculator
Date: 4/5/2007
I am so happy to have found this calculator! I am an African-American female and weigh 200 lbs. Although most of the women in my family are healthy (muscular and strong), I did not gain any muscle until I joined the army, and ever since then I have been considered “overweight”. I am healthy and active, but still considered “fat’ by many other calculators. Thank you for creating a place for those of us who are not bean poles but also are not horribly overweight. I also like this calculator because I feel it is “kinder” to my situation.

Euleshia

Subj: Makes more sense
Date: 4/11/2007
Several years ago I was training for a marathon and got my weight down to 170 lbs. which was measured hydrostatically as 7% body fat. A standard BMI calculation would lead you to think that I was at the high end of the normal weight range for my height of 6′ 00″. According to your Lean BMI I was actually at the low end of the scale which makes a lot more sense given that I was running 8-10 miles a day. Thank you for verifying what I knew all along but most medical professionals and, more importantly, the insurance industry is not willing to admit.

Dennis

Subj: BMI
Date: 5/26/2007
I’m 42 years old with EXCELLENT cholesterol – HDL flagged a bit high, LDL flagged a bit low with triglycerides at 38 and total number under 200. I am on Synthroid for Hashimoto’s. I am 5’8″ tall and exercise EVERY DAY FOR SEVEN YEARS STRAIGHT – only time I miss is when DEATHLY ill – I get no less than 90 structured minutes a day on a treadmill and then other exercise such as walking, cleaning etc. My weight is still 167lbs. which claims I have a “prone to health issues” BMI. I do have some “rolls”, but not much. I assume this has to do with my thyroid and not lack of exercise. BP is EXCELLENT. All is good. Should I still worry about the BMI? I don’t know what else I can do…how much more exercise can I get? I eat VERY HEALTHY TOO. No snacks, nothing – HELP

Diane

AskDocWeb: When we put your weight and height in our BMI calculator we get a BMI of 25 which is desirable. It sounds like you are in good shape with no reason to be concerned about your weight.

Subj: BMI calculator
Date: 5/27/2007
I weigh 96kg and 182cm tall and I am fairly thin, and the BMI index says that I am almost obese! But I do alot of weight training so I guess the BMI calculator is practically use-less for people who like to stay in shape.

Steven

AskDocWeb: We have two BMI calculators, one for people who work out and one for people who don’t.

Subj: Accurate BMI?
Date: 6/1/2007
I am an extremely muscular woman, no fat on muscled legs and I wonder how accurate the bmi is for muscle mass.

Rima

AskDocWeb: It’s a general tool to indicate overall health and like most generalities, it doesn’t apply to everyone.

Subj: Misinformation?
Date: 6/13/2007
This is misinformation. BMI is not the same as Body Fat Percentage. A BMI of less than 20 doesn’t make you lean or athletic, it doesn’t mean you have low body fat, it just means you are skinny. BMI is just a comparison of height/weight, it’s not a measurement of your body fat and the numbers don’t refer to your percentage of body fat.

Dee

AskDocWeb: We agree that a BMI is not the same thing as the percentage of body fat. What we said was that the percentage of body fat is more important than your BMI. If your BMI (a general indicator) indicates a need for action then find out what percentage of your body is fat (a specific condition) and talk this over with your doctor.

Subj: Just for fun
Date: 7/1/2007
Hi…I recently went to a church function with all kinds of booths set up… Just for fun I went to a physical fitness booth and had the trainer do a body scan…I am 50 years old…5′ 1 to 2″ and have always weighed about 100 pounds…My BMI was 34.4 so I am technically obese…no one believes me and says that this is impossible, but the trainer said that it could be that I have little muscle mass…and at 34.4 am at higher risk of heart disease and diabetes etc. I am not an exerciser, so I tend to believe this is NO mistake… Have you ever had any very fat skinny patients before? And if so, what do you recommend? I appreciate any light you can shed on this… Thank you, the fattest skinny girl.

Kay

AskDocWeb: We don’t believe it either. According to our BMI calculator your BMI is 19 and you have nothing to be concerned about.

Subj: Any suggestions?
Date: 7/20/2007
Hi. I’m 185lbs and am 5’8″. I’ve come across every BMI calculator and have gotten fed up using them. I feel I’m kind of overweight, but I’m definitely not fat. There’s certain areas of my body that I can’t do anything about. If I were 170-175, I would be happy. Any suggestions? My doctor even said I look like I’m 165lbs.

George

AskDocWeb: Our suggestion is to pay more attention to nutrition and exercise, and less to BMI. If you feel healthy and carry your weight well, then don’t worry about it.

Subj: Realistic objective
Date: 9/18/2007
This is great. I am 5’4″, weigh between 140-145 but am a size 6-8. I am not super skinny, but I am also not obese! This tool finally gave me a realistic objective look at my level of health.

Mary

Subj: Awful truth
Date: 11/21/2007
Hi I’m Kirsty. I was most surprised that I fitted in the ‘obese’ category. I never thought I was that disgusting!! I’m going on a full slim fast diet now! Or I may just starve myself until I get to the ‘non obese’ weight. Shame on this site for telling an awful truth. I suffer over my weight enough already. 🙁

Kirsty

Subj: Overweight?
Date: 12/25/2007
I just calculated my BMI, and it says I’m overweight (25.5). Should I take this as conclusive evidence that I’m unhealthy? I mean, I can walk for about 10 miles non-stop in four hours. I ran up three uphills with no problems. I do forty sit-ups, 20 push-ups, and 10 pull-ups per day. I think I’m reasonably fit. But it says I’m overweight?

Warren

AskDocWeb: Obviously one size doesn’t always fit all. We would describe you as athletic and there is another BMI calculator just for those who are athletic. It’s called a Lean BMI.

Subj: BMI calculator rocks!
Date: 1/11/2008
I am 229 and 6’3″. Every other BMI calculator puts me in the obese range, which is not possible. I run 2 miles a day, lift weights 5-6 days a week and have a 34 in waist. Your BMI calculator rocks!!!

Cory

Subj: Athletic BMI
Date: 1/28/2008
I have been looking for a while for a tool that I can use to get a better idea of my body weight; thanks a lot. I was getting really irritated that the bmi scale kept telling me I was obese, even when I was my most athletic. Thanks again!

Scott

Subj: I’m slender but
Date: 2/23/2008
I am very active but, I wouldn’t say ‘athletic’- mostly as a result of my pack a day cigarette habit. However, I was looking for some method to acknowledge my not insignificant ‘tone’ and think your numbers might be a bit on the ‘low’ side- I know I’m slender but, your numbers suggest dangerously so and I feel healthy.

JD

AskDocWeb: There are several health problems that smoking can mask or hide. If the numbers suggest danger than please consult with your doctor for a physical.

Subj: Metric BMI?
Date: 4/16/2008
Can you please give the measurements also in Kg and cm? Not the whole world uses pounds and inches.

Anne

AskDocWeb: Okay, we will work on a metric BMI calculator just for you.

Subj: BMI calculator for the fit people
Date: 7/18/2008
Finally a BMI calculator for the fit people in the world! I was getting very tired of the ones that assume you’re either skin + bones, or skin + bones + fat. Nice job!

Hannah

AskDocWeb: You are most welcome.

Subj: Most accurate BMI
Date: 8/21/2008
On other scales, I’m considered nearly overweight, although I do not look it. I have a lot of muscle and it seems to me that this tool show my BMI most accurately. It’s definitely the best I’ve found, thanks!

Assiya

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Related links:

Body Mass Index for those with an athletic build. Calorie Calculator to find the number of calories you burn each day.

Calculate your Ideal Weight for Adults.