To think the NHS BMI is a load of s#!t

[babyarz]

I gave birth to my beautiful DS 4 months ago.

Although I am losing weight as ebf I thought it would be good - after Christmas - to cut down on the chocolates and eat healthier.

I am fitting into all my size 10 clothes pre pregnancy and thought I'd weigh myself today to see what I am. Once I did this I looked my bmi score at it states I'm overweight!!

I'm totally ready for being told I'm BU but at 5"3, 10st 5 and size 10 I honestly didn't think I'd be classified as overweight!

What's your thoughts?

I think that part of the reason that more size 6 and 8 are sold than in the past is because younger girls are wearing adult clothes. Girls of 11 and 12 wear adult clothes from shops like primark, shops like M and S which sell to older people sell less small sizes. When I was a teenager in the 1980s we didn't start wearing adult clothes until 16 plus and children's clothes were available up to age 15 _16.

"The population did used to be shorter and thinner. Some of that can be attributed to walking more and being more active. But a lot of people were just malnourished, hence being thin."

People were a lot thinner in the 80s, even the 90s and weren't malnourished! We're not talking about the 19th Century!

"When I was a teenager in the 1980s we didn't start wearing adult clothes until 16 plus and children's clothes were available up to age 15 _16."

That wasn't the case when I was a teenager in the 90s. We were wearing adult clothes from 12 onwards, or at least I was and I was considered slightly tubby at a weight that would now be seen as very light. I don't even remember seeing 15-16 age clothes. The size 6 in the 90s were indeed often used by young girls. From 12 onwards girls are adult height (even if not their own 'adult height' if you see what I mean) and often taller than their grandmothers if not their mothers yet. They'are also different shapes so need the options of different sizes.

When I was early teens I took a size 12 in shops as I do now even though I'm over a stone heavier now.

"How do you check your body fat percentage?"

I can do this with scales at the gym or in Boots.
How do you do the skin fold test yourself John?
The waist versus height thing is not the same as the body fat percentage.
Incidentally, according to the scale at the gym, my body fat percentage has increased while I've lost weight. Google tells me this can happen, so I'll just continue to monitor it.

This sounds really rude but there is no way you are a size 10 at that height and weight. I am 5ft 4 and have dropped down from 9st 2 where I was a large 12 to 8st And I am now a 10. That said I have a friend who claims to be a 12 but wears everything so tight she can hardly move her arms 😂

whassup - It depends on her measurements, not just weight I suppose, plus vanity sizing is worse in some place than others. I'm a similar height and weight to you so would be a 14 in H&M, but can fit into a 10 in Hobbs. Maybe OP shops in 'big' shops or only buys loose dresses or something.

I'm 5 ft 5, 8 stone 12 and a size 10. I also have a low body fat percentage. I am surprised your also a size 10 at your weight/height

I must admit, I am surprised that the OP is a size 10 as well because I am a size 10 and I am 60kg (9st 6lb) and 170cm (5'7").

Then again, I suppose it all depends on where you buy your clothes as all shops seem to have slightly different sizing.

^^
I'm 5'5, a size 10 and weight 9 stone 10.

Go figure.

God this thread is depressing. So distorted in our views of what's healthy / what's not.

BMI is complete and utter nonsense and IMO harmful in some ways the NHS and other authorities use it. I really wouldn't pay any attention to it.

grimupnorth
What method do you suggest for assessing healthy weight and size ?

I'm similar to the OP, but I'll no doubt be told that I'm wrong and vanity sizing.

At 10st, 5"3 my bones are very visible, and those around me think I'm unwell. I'm in a river island 6-8. I'm still 10st

I run, I exercise, I can drag myself round an 8 hour run, but I'm always at least 2 stone over what people think I "look"

I weigh heavy, that's life.

Pokemon
What is your waist / height ratio?
And have you tried one of the body scanner machines to check your fat percentage?

Everybody has a different build.
That is why the healthy BMI range is 18.5 to 25 for whites
and 18 to 23 for asians
and some people look scrawny at BMI 23 and others look lardy at BMI 22
BUT
It does not negate BMI
it just means that answers are not simple black and white

At that time it was 0.41 when my bmi was 25 (26 inch waist) but it's up a bit now (post wedding increased intake!!),

I have to agree on the point made about wearing too small clothes. My friend wears size 14 or M but constantly splits her trousers. She won't wear size 16 anythings but insists on trying on 14's in everything until she finds things she can squeeze herself into.

I'm a size 16-18 but look thinner than her. I think she'd spent a lot less time clothes shopping and have more options if she just wear a larger size.

A lot is to do with your size of frame.

I’m a size 14 in jeans, but my friend who is the same height and weight as me fits easily into size 10 jeans. I’ve got very thin wrists, small hands and slim shoulders, whereas my friend has a much bigger frame but looks a lot slimmer than me at the same weight.

It is tricky to do the skin fold test on yourself but here's a link:

fellrnr.com/wiki/Skinfold_Calipers

I got 16mm - coming out at 28% at 74 kg

I'm 5ft 4.5 and weigh 10 stone 5 and wear size 10. I'm a powerlifter though so have loads of muscle.