Government will require all Americans by 2014 to have a Obesity Rating

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by Silock

What are your stats? Height and weight? I bet you're not actually obese according to the BMI scale.

6'2, 210, 27 BMI.

And you're right Silock...I just double checked it and I'm only "overweight". For some reason I was thinking 25 was obese not 30.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

6'2, 210, 27 BMI.

And you're right Silock...I just double checked it and I'm only "overweight". For some reason I was thinking 25 was obese not 30.

See, even for guys that go to the gym regularly, BMI isn't TOO far off. It's not totally accurate, but hardly anything that's generalizable is. For instance, if I let my diet go a bit and don't stay shredded, my BMI creeps up into overweight. But if I stay at a very low body fat, I can keep all my muscle mass and still be considered "normal" bodyweight, albeit at the higher end.

Part of the problem for guys who work out is that they think they need to weigh more than they actually do to maintain muscle mass or be "big." As for what that means for BMI, if the gov't is going to use it in some calculations, then there needs to be an exemption for people who teeter on the normal/overweight boundary pending a doctor's exam.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Silock

See, even for guys that go to the gym regularly, BMI isn't TOO far off. It's not totally accurate, but hardly anything that's generalizable is. For instance, if I let my diet go a bit and don't stay shredded, my BMI creeps up into overweight. But if I stay at a very low body fat, I can keep all my muscle mass and still be considered "normal" bodyweight, albeit at the higher end.

Part of the problem for guys who work out is that they think they need to weigh more than they actually do to maintain muscle mass or be "big." As for what that means for BMI, if the gov't is going to use it in some calculations, then there needs to be an exemption for people who teeter on the normal/overweight boundary pending a doctor's exam.

BMI is wildly off for those of certain body types, as a host of professional athletes can tell you.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

BMI is wildly off for those of certain body types, as a host of professional athletes can tell you.

I agree, but professional athletes are also in the EXTREME minority. And many bodybuilders that would be classified as obese are also on steroids, which isn't taken into account by BMI for obvious reasons.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Silock

I agree, but professional athletes are also in the EXTREME minority. And many bodybuilders that would be classified as obese are also on steroids, which isn't taken into account by BMI for obvious reasons.

You don't have to be a professional athlete to have those body types. I was just using the Pros to point out that even those who are quite fit can fall under the "obese" category when BMI is being used.

It's a very poor method of analysis.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

You don't have to be a professional athlete to have those body types. I was just using the Pros to point out that even those who are quite fit can fall under the "obese" category when BMI is being used.

It's a very poor method of analysis.

Those people are few and far between. Again, I'm not arguing that it's perfect. I'm simply saying it's not nearly as wildly off as most people believe.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Silock

Those people are few and far between. Again, I'm not arguing that it's perfect. I'm simply saying it's not nearly as wildly off as most people believe.

5'9" 205lbs makes one obese, per BMI, as does 6'0" 222 lbs and 6'3" 241 lbs.


It's wildly off for a whole lot of people. It really only has value for people of "average" build.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by Silock

See, even for guys that go to the gym regularly, BMI isn't TOO far off. It's not totally accurate, but hardly anything that's generalizable is. For instance, if I let my diet go a bit and don't stay shredded, my BMI creeps up into overweight. But if I stay at a very low body fat, I can keep all my muscle mass and still be considered "normal" bodyweight, albeit at the higher end.

Part of the problem for guys who work out is that they think they need to weigh more than they actually do to maintain muscle mass or be "big." As for what that means for BMI, if the gov't is going to use it in some calculations, then there needs to be an exemption for people who teeter on the normal/overweight boundary pending a doctor's exam.

I'm just more afraid they'll take BMI into account for raising premiums under a government plan. I work out and while I don't eat exceptionally well I don't eat awful either. Why should I be listed as overweight in some government database?

[Silock]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

I'm just more afraid they'll take BMI into account for raising premiums under a government plan. I work out and while I don't eat exceptionally well I don't eat awful either. Why should I be listed as overweight in some government database?

I agree, which is why I think if they're going to include it in anything, there should be an exception pending a physical examination by a doctor.