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: Longterm negative impacts?
Date: 8/22/2008
I agree with your tool. I have been involved in weightlifting for a few years now, and although I am able to see some abdominal definition, and have a clearly defined jawline, I am considered ‘obese’ by normal BMI calculators. I do wonder though, if even with a lean body, is the greater mass having any longterm negative impacts?

Jeff

Subj: Classified as obese
Date: 9/22/2008
As a five-time marathoner and avid athlete, I was always disheartened to see my body type classified as ‘obese.’ The adjusted scale feels more accurate, though I still have a few more pounds to lose to get to my optimum weight. Thanks for this tool!

JM

Subj: Bone structure
Date: 10/2/2008
When the bmi was created, obviously bone structure must be taken into account, so what type is used? The reason why I ask this is because I have a slightly broad bone structure and want to know if bmi is accurate for me!

Jessica

AskDocWeb: Our BMI calculator is a general indicator of health for average build and does not have the ability to take bone structure into account. That is something that your doctor would have to do in person.

Subj: Very muscular
Date: 10/26/2008
Thank you so much for making this! I am a competative gymnast, dancer, and cheerleader and am very muscular. Bmi calculators always put me on the brim of being “overweight” even though I’m not. This helped me realize muscle actually does weigh more then fat.

Emily

Subj: Larger muscle mass
Date: 11/4/2008
While this is better, it still is flawed. At my peak of weight lifting back in 2002 I would have been rated a 27 and was more cut then compared to now where I rate a 25. At 40 years old and weight lifting 3 days a week and martial arts 2 days a week; I still feel I could lose a little however back in 2002 I was very lean and muscular and more cut. It seems the calculator does not allow for larger muscle mass.

Dereck

Subj: Finally
Date: 11/9/2008
Finally a BMI calculator that seems to fit me! All other calculators put me in the overweight range and say I should start working out to live a longer life. I am a collegiate swimmer with a six-pack! This meter is definitely more accurate for me!

John

Subj: Keep better tabs on weight
Date: 11/22/2008
Thank you so much for creating a BMI calculator that takes more athletic and muscular people into consideration! I was tired of using online BMIs that kept telling me I was overweight when I was obviously not. This tool helps me keep better tabs on my weight.

Rob

Subj: Petite woman
Date: 11/27/2008
This is nice! BMIs are horribly innacurate for me as I’m a swimmer. I’m a petite woman at 5’3″, and I wear a size 2 or so in clothes, but I weigh over 140lb! Obviously, it is muscle, but BMI calculators send up red flags with this height and weight combo even though it’s perfectly healthy for athletes. This calculator seems much more in line.

Adrianna

Subj: Best BMI calculator
Date: 12/6/2008
Your BMI calculator is the best I’ve seen. I’m a majorette/baton twirler at a university and we are required to maintain a high level of physical fitness. We normally use BMI and body composition measurements to indicate our success. My body composition is one of the best on the line, but my BMI (according to their calculator) is overweight. I have a very muscular lower body and small waist, but I’ve spent the last year struggling to get an acceptable BMI. Yours just calculated mine at 21…which I haven’t had since high school. Now I know I don’t need to weigh 140 at 5’8″. Thank you so much!

Carolyn

Subj: Very pleased
Date: 12/31/2008
I am very pleased… my husband has told me all along that I was not overweight. I am VERY muscular and slim but still weigh 165 and I am 5’8″ this just said what everyone I know has been saying that I am healthy and well. Thank you. Traditional BMI scales say I am overweight at anything over 164. I am a size 6/8 so it is hard to believe I was overweight at 165. *hugs*

Amelia

Subj: Every where I look
Date: 1/2/2009
I have the build of the cartoon character Johnny Bravo (huge shoulders and chest with a “relatively” small waist) and every where I look, the result is lose weight quick or die. I think that maybe, if ya’ll beta test a new scale, try to include waist and chest circumference measurements just to see if they make any type of effect on results.

Kelly

Subj: Desirable
Date: 1/21/2009
Hello! I am 5’7″ and 80kg and exercise regularly including daily walking and gym three times a week. I’ve always been annoyed at being labelled “overweight” by the BMI when, although I could probably afford to lose a few pounds, I look and feel great. Your lean body mass index had me at “desirable” and this is where I probably belong. Many thanks,

Luke

Subj: Thick bone structure
Date: 2/10/2009
I’m 6′ tall, and if I eat right and exersize, I tend to do well at about 200-210lbs. At that size, I’m about a 33″ waist, byt my BMI tells me I’m overweight. I’ve lost to as low as 189, but when I drop below 195, people I work with actually ask me if I’m sick. Friends tell me I look bad and need to gain weight. I cannot keep a weight below 200 without restricting my diet below 2000 calories (not good for an active male) and exersizing. At 200, people guess I’m 160-165… people tend to guess I’m about 30-40lbs less than I really am. I’ve been told I have very thick bone structure. I am not muscular, but I did used to race bicycles… but even at 150 miles per week and a healthy diet, I couldn’t stay below 198. And in cycling, that’s a disadvantage.

Steve

Subj: BMI
Date: 2/12/2009
How would you develop a formula to find the weight that would give a BMI of 30 for a person of a given height? Please advise? Thanks!

Angel

AskDocWeb: You can check your BMI here, or if you have an athletic build use the lean BMI calculator.

Subj: Low BMI
Date: 2/21/2009
My BMI is 14 my doc seems to think that I could have an eating disorder and suggested that I put on weight. I have tried to eat three meals/ salads a day which is much better than the junk I use to eat which was an apple, diet coke and sometimes chips. Now that I eat 3 meals I am losing more weigh, I don’t understand because I am eating so much more? I dont think I have an ed, as now that I am eating a normal diet I feel much better. Just because I have a low BMI does it mean I have an ed??

Em

AskDocWeb: It is not proof positive but a low BMI does indicate the possibility of an eating disorder.

Subj: Athletic person
Date: 2/25/2009
I really like this tool. I’m 5’11” and I’ve always considered myself an athletic person with some decent muscle mass. However at times, every 3 years or so, I would get very lazy (due to; university, first child, injury) and get, what I would consider to be “fat”, in the 200-205lbs range. I would work out for a few months and lose 20-25 lbs every couple of years. However I have never seemed to be able to get lower than 180 lbs without feeling ill or knowing something was going wrong with my training. According to BMI at 180lbs I am barely coming into the normal range. This would depress me at times. I have friends who are also in good shape, but marathon or triathalon types that would be 150-160 lbs. I felt I looked better at the beach with respect to arms and chest, but always lacked abs. (I should point out here that I do have some purely muscular legs from ice hockey and football that I still play regularly). I really felt that there was something wrong with me. Like I needed to lose another 20 lbs so that I was within my BMI, show some abs and get smaller legs. After using this tool, I am more confident in my 180-185 muscular status. I am better at sports by being comfortable with this weight and not draining myself trying to lose more mass. I realize now that the only tools I should be using to judge my health wrt. weight is the mirror and this tool. Thanks.

Michael

Subj: I carry loads of muscle
Date: 2/25/2009
I weight train 5 nights a week and do 1 hour cv every night, I carry loads of muscle but no BMI calculation seems to take this into account? My weight at the moment is 17st and I’m trying to reduce down to 16st but even at this weight the BMI shows me at 6ft as obiest.

ALAN

Subj: I agree
Date: 3/25/2009
I agree completely, the regular BMI doesn’t take into account those that lift weights regularly and participate actively in sports.

John

AskDocWeb: That is why we made the Lean BMI calculator.

Subj: As a boxer
Date: 4/16/2009
As a boxer, I have about 15% body fat, but am considered on the higher side of “normal” of typical BMI scales being 180 lb at 6’1″. I think your (lean) calculator seems better adjusted to how much lean muscle I’ve got. Thanks for the tool!

K K

Subj: More accurate BMI
Date: 5/7/2009
Yes…this is more accurate. I’m 29f, 5’3” and weigh 145 lbs. I’m very active. I have a very strong build and with other bmi calculations it say’s that I’m obese at 25.5. I know that’s not true. This one said I’m at 22. I’d say that’s about right. Good thinking!

Lisa

AskDocWeb: I believe Lisa was referring to our Lean BMI Calculator for athletes and those who have an athletic build.

Subj: This BMI calculator makes more since
Date: 5/22/2009
For me, this bmi calculator makes more since. I weighed 175 in high school, at 6 ft tall, and I was skinny as a rail; I was muscular, but skinny, a wide reciever in football. so when I weighed 187, I was still thin, but considered overweight by the standard bmi table, ridiculous. I now weigh 214, and don’t consider myself obese at all, but almost obese on the standard bmi table; I am overweight, but give me a break, weighing 185 to be in the normal range, no, I would be skinny; I have a large frame, wide shoulders. My chest is still several inches larger than my gut.

Kirt

Subj: Petite woman with muscular legs
Date: 6/3/2009
This makes more sense for me. As a petite woman with muscular legs, I always score too high on the regular BMI and weight charts. Thank you!

Dee

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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.