As you all know, BMI (Body Mass Index) is a simple of calculation that is to determine whether you are a fat or a thin person.

I want to clarify something, is BMI reliable in real-life ?
If my BMI tells me that i'm fat (which is 25.1), where in the sense that in real-life, many people i know say i'm normal and i myself think im not fat either.
While i calculate my friend's BMI, his BMI showing 24.9 (almost the same as me and is nearly towards the fat section) where as he is really fit and tough, with a little abs popping out
Get my picture so far?

BMI Calculator = HERE

Please comment~

No, BMI is useless. It doesn't account the important stuff, like muscle mass and fat.

IMO, BMI was developed for slightly fatter people with rediculously low muscle mass to make themselves feel better.

This post has been edited by malaysianPotato: Mar 11 2008, 10:55 PM

So what's the best way to know whether you are obese or not?

body-fat level people


Chow

If you're obese? Look in the mirror...

unless you're exceptionally muscular or athletic, i think its a fair indicator of the ideal weight for most people.

there are few more ways to indicates but not so practical if compare to BMI. examples are body volume/weight against surface area, skin fold thickness, total fat %, waist-hip ratio, basal metabolic rate, lean body mass.

each measurement have its own advantages and disadvantages. e.g. skin fold thickness is particularly useful to estimate amount of fat under skin, but doesnt really reflect as whole as diff part have diff amount/distribution of fat. but generally, obese ppl have over built up fat anywhere anyway.

yes i greatly agreed. although BMI is not perfect, but it is the useful general indicator for the general population. unless you are exceptionally unusual from the general population, are of athletic build, elderly, or child, BMI is reliable. else if not, BMI won't be adopted worldwide as the general marker for obesity whereas waist circumference for risk of diabetes.

According to BMI calculator,am obese,Its at 32.8!

171cm at 96kg!

are you really obese then?

there is a new guideline for weight based on waistline



for bodybuilding, below is a chart for "lean" physique.

Weight(lbs)/hieght(inch) | Waist
------------------------------------
1,899 | 27,3
2,038 | 28,4
2,183 | 29,4
2,334 | 30,0
2,489 | 31,6
2,660 | 32,6
2,817 | 33,7
2,989 | 34,8
3,195 | 36,0
3,379 | 37,1

Cannot be trusted at all. I am fat but the BMI shows that I fall under the normal range.

BMI probably good for the old timey where there aren't a lot of process food, fastfood and so on.

Like say my friend who is 65kg my height, by right he would fit into the healthy category.

BUT his body fat is almost 35%.

And that is the obese, high body fat %. Not weight.

Weight = lean body mass + fat + water + bones

Cheers

Am fat but not obese!!

Muscles are heavy!

im 181cm at 89kg. i dont think im fat, but i have a belly. a few trips to the gym should solve the problem.

It seems that BMI calculation may not be perfectly accurate to many people...
So... what is?

To show results that you're fat.. thin.. or somewhere in-between... (eh? it actually rhymes together )

Exactly, one could be FAAAAAT, have really low muscle mass and be dehydrated and be able to be at their "ideal bmi". That alone should be reason enough to scrap BMI.

last time my pendidikan jasmani teacher taught us this easy mehod of checking if you're fat or not

1. stand naked infront of full length mirror
2. jump up and down and watch your body
3. if you have wobbly parts (at the waist, thighs, arms) then YOU'RE FAT

otherwise you're ok

That being said. A case study as follows:

In a similar situation say a person is 165cm.

a.) A 65kg with 35% body fat

Or

b.) A 78kg with 15% body fat

I rather be b.) at all times irregardless what BMI tells me.

Cheers

i LOL-ed at this... that fact that it actually kinda... sort of.... true....

this sounds a little weird but...i guess its true lol...ill try tonight