To think someone that’s 7 stone and 5’4 is tiny

It doesn’t accommodate enough is the point. You ask Asian women how many register as being underweight.

For many years I was 5’3” & 7st4lb. It was my perfect weight. I wish I was still that now. I felt healthy, bouncy, strong & fit!

It obviously does because the upper healthy range cut off is only 22.9.

Do you mind me asking what you eat in an average day? Just out of interest, I’ve no agenda.

Exactly. BMI is a very broad brush.

Precisely. Asian BMI index is based on the Caucasian model and doesn’t accommodate for the fact that Asians have significantly smaller build.

So more Asian women come up as underweight at their normal weight and size, just as my brother, at the other end of the scale registers as obese with lots of muscle and little fat.

Japan average female BMI is 21.7 whereas U.K. is 27.1.

Irrelevant.
BMI was designed as a population based tool, not individual.

No but most people who have “concerns” about a friend losing weight, is usually because they haven’t done it the “proper” way.

@25mini7 did Kylie really claim to be 6 stone at that time? I can find articles from 2005 when she was reassuring fans that she wasn’t as low as 7 stone when she was having cancer treatment, but not a hint of a claim to be 6 stone referenced anywhere. I appreciate that comments from the 80s and 90s are less likely to be referenced online, but still. Showing pictures of a 5ft women from 30 to 40 years ago who may have been lighter doesn’t in any way mean that 7 stone at 5ft 4 is in the healthy weight range. It’s underweight, without a doubt. Which might be a concern, or it might not be a big concern. Hard to say without more detail from @101360i

This was Kylies 6 stone era. She doesn't look unhealthy

BMI chart from a predominantly Asian country (Singapore).

My brother, who was in the armed forces when he was younger and is quite built even in middle age, counts as obese despite having very little body fat.

Equally, being underweight as per BMI, may be natural for some women particularly Asian women.

To be fair though, in line with population stats there will be far more overweight and obese posters than underweight. And obesity is actually a bigger societal problem than under-eating.

I used to have a serious eating disorder and I find this thread really, really disturbing,

There is a huge difference between someone of 5 foot 4 and someone who is 5 foot in terms of weight. One is just on the healthy weight and the other is considerably underweight

My mum was about 7 stone on her wedding day back in mid 70s, and 5ft 4...and wasnt considered underweight.

I think nowadays it seems small, but back in the day probably normal...?!

Probably depends on other factors.

Some people can have a BMI below 18.5 and be perfectly healthy. They may just have a very small build. Others can be technically “obese” according to the BMI chart but are actually healthy for their build. The BMI calculator doesn’t work for those with a very slight build or for those with a muscly or big build.

It depends on age and build. For some, that would be a healthy weight. For others it wouldn’t be. The BMI measurement is, in my opinion, a useless measure. It doesn’t take account of build enough. I could weigh substantially more than I do and still be healthy according to the BMI calculator (in reality I would be overweight for my build). Conversely, a family member who is bigger built could technically be ok according to BMI but would be underweight for their build.

Another one who claimed she often ‘forgot to eat’. This is a very common thing for people with disordered eating to say.

And supermarket bread was compared to doughnuts on one thread. The chip ship threads where posters try to outdo each other on how huge the portions are that they couldn’t possibly finish a portion between 3 and have leftovers, posters saying they look fat with a bmi of 20 and posters offering weight loss advice to them, telling posters to drink water with chia seeds to fill them up. When you look up these posters search history they often have lots of posts about food, telling people they eat what they like and remain slim, that they’re naturally slim, that they sometimes just forget to eat for a day or two etc.

There are a lot of people with disordered eating and many posters have expressed concern with mumsnet looking like a pro ana site at times. It’s very disturbing.

Why on earth do you think you need to lose more?

I remember someone posting that they felt "chubby" at 7st 3 and people actually posted weight loss advice.

Not necessarily no. Plus it’s really none of your business unless they’ve asked for an opinion. I am 5ft and recently lost 8 stone (naturally) taking me to 7st1! I am in a healthy bracket which is bizarrely between 6.13-9.3!
i get comments varying from I’m too thin, to I look great. Everyone’s perception is different. Personally would like to lose a bit more, but get stronger. Each to their own.
has the person in question asked you for help or an opinion? If not, leave them be.

I remember when Kylie Minogue said she was 5ft and 6 stone back in the day. She looked healthy and we all wanted to look like her.

I once read a post where a woman said she found fruit so sweet she could only manage a piece every few months....