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: Not gender-specific
Date: 1/10/2011
Very useful- asked on my weight/height using a standard BMI calcaluator, i am 23. With yours, 19. the difference? I have low body fat & high muscle content, as I am both a dancer, trail biker, and deep-water diver. Plus, none of the above are hobbies- I dance about 8 hours/week. bike/hike 4-5, and dive, on the average, 3 hours/week- carry in close to my weight in gear. My only question- this is not gender-specific. Will you be coming out with a BMI calculator that differentiates men from women? Thank you!

Dr. Peri

AskDocWeb: That is a possibility for the future but right now the time available for new projects is severely limited.

Subj: BMI
Date: 1/20/2011
If your BMI is less than 20: This indicates a lean BMI, which means you have a low amount of body fat. This is desirable only if you are an athlete. If you are not an athlete, a lean BMI can indicate that your weight may be too low. This may lower your immunity. If your BMI and body weight are low, you should consider increasing your muscle mass with a good diet and exercise program.

Aron

Subj: More representative of reality
Date: 2/8/2011
I’m of Central Italian descent and believe my ancestors to have been related to oxen or the like; this based on the large, muscular thighs our family all seem to share. Typical BMI calculations [(wt/ht*ht)*703] always put us in the higher ranges which doesn’t seem consistent with our general state of health and conditioning. I certainly feel your calculations are more representative of reality. Would you mind sharing your equations?

Bill

AskDocWeb: Okay Bill, here is our equation: ( 1.1 * wt * 703) / (1.3 * ht * ht) = Adjusted Lean BMI ). If you feel this is helpful, share it with others. And if you do that, Than you!

Subj: Great tool
Date: 2/26/2011
Great tool, I am so thankful I landed on this website. I took advantage of one of those free personal trainer sessions today at my gym and apparently my muscle fat = my body fat & how I need to drop 18 pounds?! I think my bmi was 26. Mind you I am at the gym for a good 2.5 hours at least 4x a week, I can shoulder press 40lbs & can do 25 push ups in a row! Not many women can say that! I run half marathons & 5Ks (my PR is 24:56). I never considered myself to lose that much weight, maybe a few couple pounds. I was so discouraged at the gym today, but after using this lean BMI tool I feel so much better. THANK YOU!!!

Danielle

Subj: A more accurate BMI scale
Date: 3/15/2011
Yes, I agree with Tim’s above comment. I am a 25 y/o female, very active and have always been very muscular (and easy to put on muscle). I have a small waist, curvy, and am fit. I am 5′ 8.5, 170 a size 8 and feel and look great. I have always told people how much I weigh and get the same response- GASP! NO WAY! Yes way! I am muscular! Thanks for a more accurate scale as opposed to standard ones that tell me I am over weight and give me very low estimations of what my healthy weight should be.

Taylor

Subj: Seeking to get healthy
Date: 4/16/2011
I emailed you regarding Didrex, my BMI is 38. I need to order these today or find a doctor right away. I know some doctors won’t take my insurance United Healthcare, but I’m willing to pay cash for part of the service. I seeking to get healthy by any means necessary.

Eighthborn

AskDocWeb: If you are really seeking to get healthy then let your doctor choose the most appropriate way to do that, which includes the choice of drug if one is needed to assist you in losing weight.

Subj: Lean BMI
Date: 4/19/2011
I have done a lot of sports growing up. Now that I’m in college, I’m trying to make sure that i dont gain the Freshman 15. When I use other scales, it says that I’m obese, but when I used your tool, it says that its desirable. Considering how much muscle mass I built up, I feel that it’s a better representation on my health.

Chloe

AskDocWeb: Thanks Chloe. Just remember that when it comes to physical fitness, there is a limit on how far a good physical condition will allow you to coast.

Subj: Very athletic
Date: 5/11/2011
This is a great tool. I thought that I was fat, but I am very athletic and have very muscular legs. My dad’s family is all obese, so I am also very big boned, but I think that this is very accurate.

Miranda

AskDocWeb: Thanks Miranda. Now who can you going to share this with?

Subj: Frustrating for someone who works out
Date: 5/16/2011
I get comments on the way I look all the time, never that I look overweight, but that is where I fall on the traditional BMI. I run several times a week for at least 30 miles in total and have a waiste measurement of 29, with large quad and calf muscles, but still am overwieght. Frustrating for someone who works out as much as I do. Anyways, glad to see a different result on your website!

Victoria

Subj: This calculator is right on the money
Date: 5/22/2011
I have a very thick solid muscular build and the other calculators say I am always over weight. I know I’m not but this calculator is right on the money. Thanks for making one.

Ruth

AskDocWeb: Thanks Ruth, we appreciate your feedback.

Subj: Martial artist
Date: 5/25/2011
I like this BMI, I am 165 lbs, but most people think I am 145 lbs because I am pretty muscular. I am a martial artist and cage fighter, so I am constantly training and weight conditioning. But the the average BMI says I am on the borderline of obese, even thought I wear a size 9 pants MISSES and medium/large MISSES shirt…it gets discouraging, because I workout on avg 5 to 6 days a week, and I count my calories and I am as healthy as I can be.

Romi

AskDocWeb: Thanks Romi. Do you think the adjusted lean BMI is an accurate representation of your health?

Subj:
Date: 6/10/2011
I find this BMI calculator (Adjust Lean BMI) to be very helpful in reflecting what I felt about my weight and health status. I am an ex-athlete (track in college) and have always maintained an active lifestyle over the years. As I have aged I have put on weight but have maintained my same clothing size (6). In looking at the usual BMIs I have thought that I am on the high end of desirable but have been concerned that with a weight gain of only 5 lbs I would be considered over weight. Now I know that I am within normal limits for my muscular build and feel more confident in my fitness efforts. Thank you.

Dawn

AskDocWeb: You are welcome Dawn.

Subj: Thank you from a middle distance runner
Date: 6/29/2011
I am a middle distance runner/hurdler, so I tend to have larger hamstrings/quads than most girls. The original BMI’s tell me that at 5 feet 2, I should be closer to 115 pounds. Losing the 30 pounds would make me appear to be anorexic and unable to compete. Thank you for creating this BMI so that girls don’t have to worry about being labeled as fat because they have more muscle than most!

Brittany

AskDocWeb: You are welcome Brittany. Maybe you could help pass the word about the adjust BMI for Athletes.

Subj: Love this index
Date: 7/7/2011
Although I am considered hefty (currently in a work out regimen), I love this index and have shared it everywhere I can. I have always been extremely muscular and solid. I am happy with the goal weight that the calculator says I should be aiming for which is nearly 30+lbs over the standard index. Keep up the good work!

Britt

AskDocWeb: Thanks Britt, glad you like it. Of course Britt is talking about the adjusted version of the Lean BMI for those with an athletic build.

Subj: More appropriate for athletes
Date: 7/24/2011
i found this calculator very helpful. I’m a 5’11 basketball player and I weigh 190 pounds. Other calculators told me I’m obese but I workout and do cardio 6 days a week and I can easily out run most players in my league no matter there weight. I’ve always been athletic and very muscular but as a girl having some health calculator tell you your obese without knowing your muscle mass can be discouraging. The lean body mass calc. helps me keep my weight in check and is more appropriate for athletes.

-Meme

Subj: Paying the price for being healthy
Date: 7/29/2011
I get such varied readings from 26 to 20 bmi. Some bmi charts say I’m overweight but if you were to see me you would never believe I weigh so much. I even had a doctor take me to three scales and was confused. I have a little waist and very strong legs. I have an athletic build and could not lose this weight and be healthy (trust me I’ve tried to fit into standards). Muscle is dense why am I paying the price for being healthy?

Laura

AskDocWeb: You have no doubt heard the expression, one size fits all. Well that is almost never 100% accurate. And neither is a BMI calculator, which is a general indicator of health. It was never intended to apply to exceptional people like you. How accurate do you think our adjusted BMI for athletes calculator is? Does it come close?

Subj: More fitting for active types
Date: 8/2/2011
This calculator is awesome! I am a fairly active person, and I run most days of the week and lift weights. I also maintain a healthy diet the best I can. The regular BMI calculators have always calculated me as being overweight at 5’0” and almost 130 lbs- but I definitely do not look overweight at all, so I knew that the standard BMI calculators were wrong. I am most likely carrying muscle weight since I am active. So, I looked up BMI calculators for athletes and came across this tool. This calculator is so much more fitting for us active types.

Dominique

Subj: A more realistic BMI
Date: 9/1/2011
This is great! I weight train 2-3x per week, have a medium frame and a curvy figure but wear single digit size clothes. My regular BMI always comes up around 27% and says I need to lose another 10 – 15 lbs to be “healthy” but the last time I weighed so low, my ribs were showing. The desirable 23 rating that I got seems much more realistic for my body type, small and slim but curvy.

Cat

Subj: This calculator is better but…
Date: 9/26/2011
While this calculator is better it is still not accurate. AT 5’8″ I weigh 200 lbs. With the regular BMI I am 30.4 (Obese); here I am 26 (Hefty). I am neither Obese nor Hefty. I’ve been weight lifting 14 years when at my healthiest and fittest at 208 lbs. Sure I need to lose a little bit of body fat as I’m 43 but my plans are still to get to 208 lbs again. It would be nice to find a calculator that takes into account muscle.

Decu

AskDocWeb: With the advances in artificial intelligence that are being made, that may be possible within a few years. AI is already being used in many diagnostic programs. We will keep watching and if one becomes available, we’ll let you know. Read more Feedback. BMI Report – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – Page 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 13 – Last Page 16

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.