What kind of dress size would BMI 40 be?

[manicinsomniac]

on a 5'4" woman?

I've just read on another thread that people with a BMI of 40 should be shielding in Tier 4 areas but don't want to derail it as it has nothing to do with weight or shielding.

My mum is hugely overweight but she's only 66 so says she's fine to go shopping twice a week and it's 'something to do'. This scares me and I really want her to be more careful. I wonder if knowing she should really be shielding would do it.

She's a size 24 and 5'4". Would that be over 40 in BMI? I know it's hard to know from a dress size but I have no idea of her weight.

If it is over 40, would you say something? She doesn't follow minute details of covid news, doesn't use the internet and her doctor probably doesn't know her weight so I don't know that she'll find out if I don't say. But it's quite an awkward coversation - 'hi, Mum, you should be shielding because your BMI is so high'?!

I think at 66 your mum has the right to make her own decisions and you should respect that. I'm worried about my parents too but I can't live their lives for them.

Obesity is not on the CEV list and is not a reason on its own for someone to be shielding in any tier.

To have a BMI of 40 at 5'4" you'd need to weigh 16st6. I'd say its likely that a size 24 would weigh that much.

I'd say it's very likely. I'm 5ft5 and 18.5stone, BMI is over 45. Before anyone has anything disparaging to say, yes I know it's unhealthy and yes I am working on it.

No, I know BadEye But I've already lost my Dad and I don't want my mum to die. And I think she might take the information on board if she knew it - I'm just not sure how she'd find it out as apparently it's just been added to the list without fanfare. But yes, you're right. I know she can make her own decisions.

I am 5"4 and when my bmi was 40 8 weighed around 18 stone.

I’m going to say anyone who is a size 24 is going to be in the 40+ bmi range. A size 16 is generally over weight to obese.

I'm 5'4 and when my bmi was 42 I was a size 22 so yes I would imagine she's definitely in that bracket.

I went on a diet in March for this exact reason and I'm my bmi is currently 32 which is still not ideal but much better. So although I still have weight to lose it hasn't taken that long to make a significant difference from a covid risk perspective.

Having said that although you are worried shes a grown woman and its up to her to assess her own risk

Thank you Infecto and Chablis

Chablis - no judgement at all from me, I'm sorry if it sounded like it. I was just looking for information. My BMI is barely 16 so I'm in absolutely no position to judge anyone. Unhealthy habits come in all sizes for all reasons.

I’m 5’8, BMI 37 and a size 20 so size 24 sou days roughly in the right arena to me.

I think you wouldn’t be unreasonable to bring up the risks of obesity and covid in a Ge real sense but I don’t think you can go straight in and say you think her BMI is too high to be shopping twice a week. I understand your fears but it’s not like she’s off to a secret rave, she’ll just be going round Asda in a mask

@ChablisandCrisps

I'd say it's very likely. I'm 5ft5 and 18.5stone, BMI is over 45. Before anyone has anything disparaging to say, yes I know it's unhealthy and yes I am working on it.

I have a family member who is an endocrinologist and she says it is extremely difficult and near on impossible for people who are morbidly obese to lose weight without medical intervention or some sort of scare of some sort. I would seriously recommend seeing an endocrinologist privately I’d at all possible to discuss what medical help you can get. Also, she has said it is not someone’s “fault” for being overweight. There are extremely powerful unconscious biological and emotional drives that lead people to put on weight. It isn’t something to overcome with willpower. You could have the strongest willpower in the world and find it tough to lose weight!

I'm pretty sure people who are obese are not supposed to be shielding in T4 just for that. Double check on NHS website but I really don't think so.

But perhaps if you had several risk factors you might chose to.

You could point out to your mum that her age plus weight is an increased risk, but it's up to her beyond that.

Send her some links, may shock her into action

I'm size 22 and under bmi 40.

Size 24 sounds at least obese to me (potentially morbidly at her height)

This site might be helpful. I remember looking through it before to properly understand what different weights and heights 'look' like: www.mybodygallery.com/

I think you're in a very tough spot with this one as weight is such a sensitive topic and she is an adult who can make her own choices. Sympathies to you though.

BMI depends on height. I'm 5'4 and 40 would be around 17 stone, I think. When I was that weight I would have been a 22-24.

You need to encourage her to pop on some scales and use the NHS BMI tracker, then to look at the Gov.uk shielding list and read the data on just how high her risk is.

I'm in the same position with my Mum, she's put on a huge amount of weight after a serious illness, is an essential worker so at work full time and doesn't retire til July. I know her BMI is over 40 because at her last weigh in she was 39.9 and she's put on weight since then.

I'm genuinely scared for her but she's all 'it hasn't happened so far' - I get it, it's her life, but I nearly lost her 2 years ago. I've spent weeks sitting beside her in ICU & years of nursing her to health in our home and after all that for her to die now because she's being flippant over Covid would be devastating for me & my son.

We can only do so much, OP. It's their choice at the end of the day.

@partyatthepalace

I'm pretty sure people who are obese are not supposed to be shielding in T4 just for that. Double check on NHS website but I really don't think so

People with a BMI of 40 or above are absolutely on the shielding list for tier 4. It's on the Gov.uk site.

I’m 5ft 4 and a size 16/18 (my BMI is 34).

Thanks for the link Sionachha - she definitely looks over BMI40 to me. Though sounds like maybe the shielding information is wrong.

ktp That sounds incredibly tough. My mum doesn't work so her contacts are pretty low already, really.

Before I lost weight I was 5ft 4 size 20-22 and bmi 43 classed as severely obese

She isn’t high risk - she’s moderate risk and doesn’t need to shield. If she catches covid she may have it more severely than a thinner person but the risk isn’t so high she needs to stay at home all the time.

[quote ktp100]@partyatthepalace

I'm pretty sure people who are obese are not supposed to be shielding in T4 just for that. Double check on NHS website but I really don't think so

People with a BMI of 40 or above are absolutely on the shielding list for tier 4. It's on the Gov.uk site.[/quote]
@ktp100

Can you link to that please?

@SabrinaTheMiddleAgedBitch

Wow that is some achievement, you should be really pleased with yourself. Well done.

You may be better making sure she has sufficient supplies of good quality masks and even gloves if you want to try and keep her safe.

It’s a fine line for some to be shut indoors and be ok or feel like they are trapped and bored and not ok.

Are you near her, could you go out for a socially distanced walk once a week or something to relieve her boredom? Plus it’s exercise so win win.

In my experience, my loved ones know they are not healthy (alcohol and other issues) but have normalised it as they’ve been that way for a while and don’t think if it much. You can try and remind her that if there was ever a new year to try and make little changes to help your health then this year is it. But it may not encourage her if she’s not interested in making changes.

BMI>40 does not make you clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV). You do not need to shield due to having BMI>40

Shielding list is found here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#cev

BMI>40 makes you clinically vulnerable (CV) at a moderately increased risk. As such in Tier 4 you should take extra care to follow rules and wash hands frequently. The need to shield us only for ECV, not CV.

www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home#protecting-people-more-at-risk-from-coronavirus