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

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And to be worried d

That’s the point though. At the same height, what’s “underweight” for one person may be perfectly healthy for another. The BMI measurement is far too simplistic and quite a lot of people fall outside the “healthy” range at either end, but are actually perfectly fine.

Not underweight. By saying it’s simplistic you are treating it the same as being “a bit overweight” and as I’ve said it’s not the same.

underweight is <18. At 16 you are at significant risk of immediate danger.

how do you think people bypass that by just “being different”??

There are some people who would still be healthy, for their build, at below 18 (eg a BMI of 17 may be fine for some people). It may be unusual, but not impossible, for example for someone who is tall and small boned but their height is in their legs. It may be unusual, but not impossible. Some people at that weight could continue to be perfectly healthy, having regular periods and carrying multiple children for example. For others, it would definitely not be healthy. Unfortunately the OP seems to have disappeared so no one knows the context of the original question. The individual in the OP could be perfectly healthy, or could be seriously underweight depending on their build etc.

On paper it’s underweight but every body is different and those were my measurements when I was really fit and before I had kids. Probably could be again if I could be bothered to run around the park a couple of times a week to offset all the cake and pie I eat. Some people have small frames and fast metabolisms.

I am 5ft 1 and 7 stone 4, and I don’t look good, but am borderline anorexic. I can’t wear v neck dresses as my chest is bony. I look best at just under 8 stone.

I have a naturally slim friend who is 5’8” and 7 stone. She has tiny bones, runs, doesn’t do weights and this is her healthy weight. We need more information.

I really do have a friend like this & its been quite sad to watch. 5'4" and just under 6st now (she posts pics and updates) She looks poorly tbh but I don't dare say anything as she thinks she looks great and, when another mate mentioned the subject of going too far, she got really annoyed!

I'm 5'4", weighed 7 stone between the ages of 19 and 32, gained weight during pregnancy, then went up and down mostly staying round 9 stone - but at menopause I unexpectedly became and stayed fat. It seems to depend on age, diet, exercise, whether times of stress increase or decrease an individual's appetite and each woman's body frame: mine is small. I was much healthier skinny than I am plump. But hey, what I gained in dress size I also gained in the joy of chocolate....

Isn’t the BMI incredibly low for this?

BMI is a very rough guide that fits most but not all.

Maybe they do have anorexia ? It happens to regular people and they go about their lives with it, like most mental illnesses. Signs are, you never see them ordering drink with calories at the coffee shop, maybe they don’t eat in front of you, always cold, tire easily, spend lots if time looking at recipes. They don’t have to be completely skeletal, or a teenager. Good that you’re taking an interest x

That low is unusual, have you looked at what it is?

I'm 5ft 5 and have weighed around 7st most of my adult life. Some is genetics my mums side are very petite and my dad's side quite naturally muscular. It is also lifestyle. I have always worked on my feet and until about 5 years ago had a really rubbish high fat diet. During covid I decided to start running and eating a bit healthier and managed to gain about quarter of a stone. I switched to the gym about 18 months ago as I was fed up with the rubbish weather and I've added some weights to my workouts and I've managed to get my weight to 7 & half stone ish I think my bmi is about 18 so close to the healthy range which is what I aiming for but it's been hard work and slow going! Whilst being underweight my whole life I have aways had regular periods and I conceived easily and gave had 2 healthy babies.

Yes the friend I mentioned also had no trouble getting pregnant in her early 40s. The OP has thrown a bomb and left.

That’s a BMI of 14.9 and very seriously underweight.

whilst anorexia isn’t solely diagnostic on BmI, the nhs advises urgent referral to their local version of ED unit at below 17.5.

DSM-V appears to diagnose anorexia at 85% of healthy weight. A 5ft 8 women’s minimum healthy weight is 8 stone 10- by my calculation in the example above the friend is only 80% of healthy weight and meets the criteria not only for anorexia diagnosis but immediate referral for treatment.

I’m just saying she is perfectly healthy and always been this way. Her older sister is the same build and did suffer with anorexia. She was 4 stone when she last allowed someone to weigh her. Healthy now but it’s not like we haven’t seen anorexia.

How do you know though? It seems like a medic would diagnose her with anorexia. How can that be healthy?

I was that weight when younger and it looked fine , I just looked petite not thin .
But I’m only 5’2” ( I’m about 8.5 stone now and I look quite curvy at that weight )

4 stone? At what height?

I can’t see it even matters- even at 5ft her BMi would be 10.9. She’d be dead.

@NewYearsPudding this sort of reads like a rumour that went round school 30 years ago that none has really thought about properly 😭

What are tiny bones?

que a load of mumsnetters arguing that 4 stone can be perfectly healthy as BMI is tosh and it all depends on the individual 😭

I was that weight and height as a teen until I was 19 and went to uni. I was a size 8-10 so not ridiculously skinny. I’m small built so v narrow back/shoulders/small hands and feet. I’m usually 8-8.5 stones now and a size 12 on bottom and 10-12 on top. If I go over 8st7lbs I’m too big as it’s around the middle.

True, it must be a young child’s weight

Im 5ft 2, 7st 1 and a size 6 or xs or kids sizes. I eat really well and work 3-4 times per week and run twice. Ive been told I'm tiny, but I don't think I am. Im healthy and strong and happy and that means more to me than numbers x