to disregard BMI...... or feel like shit

[rebee]

Ideal BMI for woman is 19-25. Today the Dr informed me my BMI is 29 which means I am officially over-weight and started giving me exercise and dietary advice.

Ok, I admit that I still haven't shifted that last stone I gained in pregnancy but I only gave birth 7 months ago... and I am 5"11 and a size 12.

Feeling really crappy as I am aware of the extra weight I am carrying round my tummy (had c-section so a little harder to shift)but didn't realise I am so medically over-weight.

I don't know if I'm simply bitching because I was surprised to be told I'm fat and pride dented and I'm therefore looking for ways to discredit the BMI system.

OR I should quit my bitching and lose a stone asap.

Anyone else had similar experience?

Ignore, all the gp surgerys have been given new proposals by the goverment to weigh and measure at least 75% of their patients, and then get a certain percentage to loose weight on their advice, your little extra stone is an easy target and wil help keep his figures up. Maybe you should put on a stone, that will thwart him.

Oh god, you're right clothhanky, I hadn't put the two together.

I think therefore anyone who is asked about their weight by their doctor henchforth should reply sweetly "Is this about your government targets, by any chance?" and see if they blush.

henceforth obviously. Henceforth sounds like a badly thought out comedy character

Haven't read the thread but I'm a size 18 (no idea how much I weigh so don't know what my BMI is - prefer to remain in blissful ignorance!) and in 20 years of adulthood I have never ever been advised by a doctor to lose weight. Even when I've brought up the subject myself, they haven't seemed bothered. So I think you've just been unlucky to get the doctor you had - must be a stickler for charts. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

And now I've mis-spelled my mis-spelling. It's early...

I am - if you are size 12 and 5 foot 11 you must look fantastic - I am size 12 and 5 foot 8, and my BMI is about 23, so yours must be less.

5'11" and size 12 surely can't mean a BMI of 29. I'm 5'6" or 7", and a size 14 I think, and my BMI is 26!

Rebee, could the doctor have made a mistake?

Im 5ft 11" also and a size 10/12 (also trying to lose a stone) but my bmi is around 21/22.

Can I ask what weight you are, im hovering around 10st 11lbs and want to get down to 10st.

I think when your tall, the fat has a further area to be distributed and although you don't look fat, it is still there, albiet over a larger area.

I think there is much more of a problem if the extra weight is around your belly, to be honest. In fact the medical people I mingle with are moving away from BMI and consider waist size to be the most important indicator for risks of health problems. So if you are carrying a stone or two on your arse, it doesn't matter. But if you are carrying it around your waist, then really you do need to try and lose it to reduce your risk factors.

Well I'm 6 feet, weigh 12 and a half stone and I was told a couple of weeks ago my BMI is around 24. So what you've been told sounds utter bollocks IMO. Size 12, I wish! No actually I don't because that sounds skeletal for that height, sorry! When I tell people I'm a size 14-16 (14 on a good day with a following wind!) they are amazed. BMI is overrated anyway, body fat is a better guide, and you know yourself if you feel flabby.

I found this website helpful, it lets you calculate quite accurately how many calories you burn a day and gives you info on what your dietary needs are - it's a US site but still helpful IMHO.

BMI is only a guideline,and should be used as such.

Dr Hilary was on GMTV last week in regard to this but with a child.At least we adults can weigh up how realistic this chart is,but with Children,you are made to worry unnecessarily IMO.

Like my DD1,the child was 95th or 98th Centile for height etc.but considered to be "obese" due to her BMI!

Dr Hilary said it was just a guide,and any health professional, would look at the person on their individual merits,but sadly this doesn't happen everywhere.

Letters are sent home,as in this case I believe from School Nurses etc. saying their child is overweight,and giving advice to help rectify this.

Rebee,
Maybe she made a mistake while calculating? My BMI was 26 at my booking appointment and i am 5ft10 and a size 14, so both shorter and larger than you but my BMI is lower.

Blimey! Are his scales right? I'm a 12 and the same height and my BMI is about 22.

Easy way to find out, OP - what's your height and weight? Multiple checks from all of us, you can take the mean.

I am having a quiet lol at clothhanky's rage against the machine. Put more weight on! Start smoking! Become diabetic! Stop exercising! That'll stick it to the Man, man! Them and their damned targets.

Vegetate for victory!

IMO the bmi is horse pooh.
At 12 weeks pregnant i saw the midwife i weighed 9st1 and am 5'2 and had bmi of 25 she said i was classed as overweight and referred me to a consultantWho promptly sent me back again. I have size E boobs when not pregnant and that was small for me as i had spent the previous month with my head in the toilet bowl.

My husband is a proffesional athlete who is 6'2 weighs 18stone very little of which is body fat is classed as morbidly obese based on that they would probably offer him a gastric band.

The bmi doesn't take bodyshape or lifestyle into account. When i weighed 8stone which is the right weight for me according to the bmi people used to ass me was i ill.

ass will do but i meant ask. Ass

BMI is a shite guideline...because it doesn't take into account muscle/sex/etc....

At 5'11 I would think that being a size 12 is very slim, tbh...

BMI is outdated-dont let it get to you !!!! the readings hold no true value when indicating health status!!!

I have just been on the NHS bmi calculator. I am 5'3" and weigh 10st4lbs my bmi is 25.3 the .3 puts me as overweight, it then goes on to give dire warnings about being overweight and diabetes and cancer etc, fine, we know all that, but at .3 over perfectly healthy bmi?!!!

wow... thanks for all the responses.

Well hate admitting my weight but you lot are all brave enough to so I will join in: I'm 79kg which is 12st 4lb, don't know what my waist measurement is in inches (guessing around 30, wearing a belt to hold up top shop size 12 jeans - size ten give me an overhang) but bra size 36E.

Lilaclaire; interesting how we are the same dress and height size but you are massively lighter than me. At my lightest I was 10st 7lb which made me a dress size 6! How does that work out? I always thought it was weird that models can be this tall and weigh in a 9st, i think I would in hospital if I weighed so little!

Morningpaper; I'm aware that apple shaped people are at more risk of heart disease as the weight is carried around the major organs, but I don't think tummy my is that big considering c-section a few months ago, but that is definitely where the weight is showing. But yes, definitely want to get it shifted as it ain't pretty!

Very pleased to hear that BMI is flawed. Hurrah!

Your doc is wrong, she must have inputted a wrong number, your BMI is 24, you're fine.

I make you 23.99 so your GP is wrong!

BMI calculator