Whats Your Body Mass Index?

mike65 · 31-08-2003 10:17pm #1

With all the talk about Fat Taxes and the spread of obesity and general gathering of excess weight I thought it was time to take the Body Mass Index test here-

http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bminojs.htm

Your Calculated BMI is: 20.4

An explaination of what BMI means to your health is here-
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm

Mike.

Lump · 01-09-2003 12:07am

Fairly ruined my day.... I need to get some skinny skills.

John

Trojan · 01-09-2003 9:26am

Rubbish...

5'7, 14 stone == 30.5 == obese

Oriel · 01-09-2003 10:07am

5'8", 8 Stone = 17.0

Sounds about right...

BrianD3 · 01-09-2003 10:18am

5 ft 9.5 inches

149 pounds

BMI = 21.7

So my BMI is right in the middle of the "normal" range, yet I still feel too skinny.....

BrianD3

GoneShootin · 01-09-2003 10:23am

The Height you entered is 5 feet, 11 inches. The Weight you entered is 196 pounds. (11.5 stone)

Your Calculated BMI is: 27.3

Overweight = 25-29.9

bollox to that, im dead sexy !

BrianD3 · 01-09-2003 10:31am

The Height you entered is 5 feet, 11 inches. The Weight you entered is 196 pounds. (11.5 stone)

Your Calculated BMI is: 27.3

Something amiss there. Last time I checked there were 14 pounds in a stone

So 11.5 stone = 161 pounds which at 5'11" should give you a "normal" BMI.

BrianD3

MojoMaker · 01-09-2003 10:31am

You reckon 196lbs is 11.5 stone? What planet are you on dude?

MoosemaN · 01-09-2003 10:33am

The Height you entered is 6 feet, 5.5 inches. The Weight you entered is 224 pounds.
Your Calculated BMI is: 26.2

Luckily it's muscles..

That calculator is only for people not doing any kind of weight lifting ..

GoneShootin · 01-09-2003 10:41am

yes excuse me for not knowing everything there is to know aboute everthing !!

That calculator is only for people not doing any kind of weight lifting ..

how do you make that out ?

Trojan · 01-09-2003 10:44am

196lbs / 14 == 14 stone.

161lbs / 11.5 stone == 14.

This topic is pretty pointless though, because the BMI isn't worth a damn as a measure, it doesn't take muscle mass and a vareity of other factors into account.

Al.

Havelock · 01-09-2003 10:53am

He's right, the online test is pointless, should only ever be done by a doctor. Me I'm 6 foot and wight 9 stone.

Benbaz · 01-09-2003 11:35am

Originally posted by Havelock
Me I'm 6 foot and wight 9 stone.

OH MY GOD!!! Do you want us to send you some food parcels???
That sounds extremely light for your height!!!

B.

GoneShootin · 01-09-2003 12:59pm

its WAY too little in my pseudo doctor opinion

get some fat into you !

NedNew2 · 01-09-2003 1:09pm

To be totally accurate you should do the test in kilograms and centimetres.

Im 180cm 80kg which is within the Normal range. I have checked this against two other articles which confirm it.

The pounds/inches part is a bit screwed up and is old fashioned anyway - who uses pounds to measure their weight these days??

Jak · 01-09-2003 1:17pm

It's an average test for average people.

It deals very poorly with extremes and is particularly bad for dealing with powerlifters etc. The reason for this is that for the same volume, muscle is denser/heavier than fat. Hence people who train a lot and have higher muscle mass have their weight distorted by this formula which assumes an average muscle density, skeletal weight and so on when calculating the result.

At 6 2 and 238lbs I am 30.6 on the BMI. My brother is also in the same class as clinically obese.

logic1 · 01-09-2003 1:18pm

Originally posted by NedNew2

The pounds/inches part is a bit screwed up and is old fashioned anyway - who uses pounds to measure their weight these days??

America.

.logic.

NedNew2 · 01-09-2003 1:19pm

This is Boards.ie not Boards.america - let the yanks use metric.

It would be worth hacking the site justto force them to do it.

mike65 · 01-09-2003 4:00pm

Imperial V Metric

Thats my fault the page can be set for metric but I thought (wrongly) that most boardsies would be more likely to think stones and feet & inches rather than kilos and centimetres.

Maybe my age is showing through....:ninja:

Mike.

01-09-2003 4:45pm

The whole BMI formulae work only for normal people, or for people with athletic body.

I have tried this at many places, I am 180cms, 86 Kgs, I work out 4 times a week (combination of aero and weights, 2.5 hrs a day, 2 miles @ 11Km/H running, 10 reps of 80Kgs on bench and also takes part in intensive circuit training once a week -- which is just about normally fit, IMO), but I am not athletic built, and somehow BMI marks me Overweight!!!

IMHO, there are a number of other factors to be taken into consideration instead of just BMI to come to any meaningful conclusion about one's physical condition.

tunney · 02-09-2003 8:23am

Me thinks alot of people are using the "BMI doesn't work for powerlifters" as an excuse for being deemed overweight.

Surely you have to be significantly bulked for it to make a difference. Doing a few reps on a bench hardly would make that much of a difference?

Before I get pounced on I accept that serious weight-lifters are the exception to the BMI rule.

Jak · 02-09-2003 9:03am

You're right Tunney.

Hence I tend to qualify people as powerlifters, bodybuilders or weight lifters. The latter is for people who "do a bit of weights" and BMI could be quite indicative for them.

A handy qualifier (that they explain on the site, and incidentally they do accept the weakness of the BMI Index) is waist size.

But yes - your best bet is water immersion or some more specific test. Personally I think it is fairly easy to look at yourself in the mirror and know if you are on the right track or not.

JAK.

tunney · 02-09-2003 9:26am

Jak, From reading all your previous I'd reckon you fall into the powerlifter category. What sort of goals do you set yourself? Is it as simple as "I want to lift X kgs in Y exercise"? Or is it something else?

Jak · 02-09-2003 11:18am

Current goal is to bench 220kg clean on the flat. It was a lifetime goal, now I think it is just a medium term goal. I'm a recreational powerlifter - proper pro's and/or juicers will generally always be well ahead of me.

Last Saturday I got a new best of 195kg - so I figure as a natural it will take maybe another 8 months to get up to 220kg assuming I stay injury free.

Simply enough yah, I set lifts for excersises and try to get to those targets. I have short medium and lifetime goals in training. I don't go for heavy weights on arms, just shoulders, back and chest. For Legs I tend to leave it to cardio and sports as I need more endurance than power there for my sports.

Anyhows all off topic, but yah that's it.

JAK.

ps- Also I suppose the real goal is to look and feel well. I'd never trade a poor physique for a great lift.

dudara · 08-09-2003 5:21pm

BMI is a load of toss in general. It's a rough guide, but don't think any more of it.

I have a high BMI, which I know just by looking at me isn't true, and definitely doesn't put me in the obese category. Muscle weighs more than fat, therefore if you are fit and work out more, you will have a higher BMI than someone of the same height and weight as you.

also more muscle means higher metabolism, so you are also burning food more efficiently.

The simple obese test is jiggle your stomach. If it stays jiggling then you need to do something.

tunney · 09-09-2003 7:43am

therefore if you are fit and work out more

Bull****. Significant amounts of muscle tissue are required to invalidate BMI readings. Simply "being fit" doesn't cut it.

dudara · 09-09-2003 10:21am

Yes there is a difference between being fit and having lots of muscle. And you do require a fair heft of muscle to start to interfere with the BMI.

But anyone who lifts weights regularly for muslce gain and strength will realise the futility of the BMI.

on the other hand, if you are one of those greyhounds who can run for miles, would BMI be lower than average? anyone have any ideas?

Jak · 09-09-2003 12:34pm

Yes more or less.

The point is - a lot of people who "do weights" - do nowhere near the level of training necessary to completely invalidate the BMI.

BMI - checked against waist size is better, but the easiest thing is to look in the mirror.

JAK.

13-09-2003 5:03pm

Well, I partially agree with Jak, but to help my point (thats more muscle = hight BMI), here some celeb stats

Celebrity Height Weight Chart
Actor or Athlete Height Weight
in lbs. BMI
Index*
Sylvester Stallone 5'9" 228 34
Arnold Schwarzenegger 6'2" 257 33
Sammy Sosa 6'0" 220 30
Harrison Ford 6'1" 218 29
George Clooney 5'11" 211 29
Bruce Willis 6'0" 211 29
Mike Piazza 6'3" 215 27
Brad Pitt 6'0" 203 27
Michael Jordan 6'6" 216 25

Source

Now, I am not saying that Arnie or Silvester are fit or anything, but look at Michael Jordan - a 25!!

Now, if am obese with my BMI @ 26, so bit!

Lennoxschips · 14-09-2003 10:23am

The Height you entered is 175 centimeters.
The Weight you entered is 69 kilograms.

Your Calculated BMI is: 22.5

tunney · 14-09-2003 11:30am

124124 I can't believe you just compared yourself to professional atheletes!

You run 2 miles and do a bit of benching and expect that this affects your BMI? FFS, thats most peoples warm up.

15-09-2003 9:00am

I didnt. and I totally agree with you that 2M + bench is nothing at all, my-unfit-self used to do a lot more 10 years ago!

Now, all I am trying to say is that BMI works well with people wtih athletic structure, and it doesnt work for most!

Thats all and thanks for reading!

MojoMaker · 15-09-2003 3:01pm

If you've ever read Michael Jordan's autobiography, which I suspect you haven't (stunning read by the way) you'll recall his struggle throughout his playing career to maintain his body fat level at 4%. You have merely entered his height and weight into the calculator and come up with a bogus figure. In fact that calculator is complete horse ****.

Jordan was one of the fittest athletes in any sport anywhere in the world and enjoyed an incredibly lean physique throughout his career.

15-09-2003 6:18pm

Originally posted by MojoMaker
If you've ever read Michael Jordan's autobiography, which I suspect you haven't (stunning read by the way) you'll recall his struggle throughout his playing career to maintain his body fat level at 4%.

Correct guess. I haven't read that, yet!

[/QUOTE]You have merely entered his height and weight into the calculator and come up with a bogus figure. In fact that calculator is complete horse ****. [/QUOTE]

Exactly my point. Thanks! However, I wish you had read the entire thread before posting your view.

Here is what the calculator in question has to say when supplied with Michael Jordan's statistics -
BMI - 25.0

MojoMaker · 15-09-2003 10:51pm

Yeah, it is a bit erroneous alright. MJ had a body fat count less than most top bodybuilders, even it cut down stageright before a competition. Some athlete. Btw - if you get a chance to read his book it's powerful stuff and not just for the athletics advice dispensed but an insight into everyone can overcome obstacles in his/her life through sheer force of will and determination to be the best.

MJ was dropped from his high school team at one point and he says this single disappointment fuelled his desire to practice 8 hours a day for months until he won his place back again. In the early days after the draft Jordan was criticised for not knowing how to play defence. He went on to become defensive player of the year 5 times!!

Guv · 15-09-2003 10:54pm

Originally posted by 124124
Well, I partially agree with Jak, but to help my point (thats more muscle = hight BMI), here some celeb stats

Celebrity Height Weight Chart
Actor or Athlete Height Weight
in lbs. BMI
Index*
Sylvester Stallone 5'9" 228 34
Arnold Schwarzenegger 6'2" 257 33
Sammy Sosa 6'0" 220 30
Harrison Ford 6'1" 218 29
George Clooney 5'11" 211 29
Bruce Willis 6'0" 211 29
Mike Piazza 6'3" 215 27
Brad Pitt 6'0" 203 27
Michael Jordan 6'6" 216 25

Source

Now, I am not saying that Arnie or Silvester are fit or anything, but look at Michael Jordan - a 25!!

Now, if am obese with my BMI @ 26, so bit!

That celeb list is so bogus it's not funny. Stallone at 228? The heaviest the guy ever was, was in Rocky 1 where he weighed a fat 200lbs. When he looked his best on screen he was about 175lbs. Arnie weighed 231 when at his best on stage. The heaviest he ever weighed was 270lbs and nowadays he is 210-220. Brad Pitt is 160-170 not 203. A similar list had Tom Cruise down as 210lbs!

BMI as with Height/Weight ratios are all useless. Jay Cutler at 290lbs and 5ft9 - fat, obese? Look at Lee Priest, Ronnie Coleman.

The test is simple:

If people see you who don't know you and they think:

Jeez he's a fat bastard - your fat
Jeez he's a big bastard - you've more muscle than fat
Jeez he's a freak - you're massive and ripped.

Whats Your Body Mass Index?

Comments