BMI - how relevant is it?

[Olwen33]

I'm a bit annoyed about my BMI, have been ever since we worked it out at school in PE aged about 15, where I found I was a good bit heavier than most of my friends. Ten years on and I'm still a bit sore about it, so wondered what you think...

I'm 5'3" and weigh about 10.5 stone. This gives me a BMI of just over 25.5, i.e. I'm 'overweight'. Now, I'm not stick thin but I am a size 10 in most shops, 32E, 28" waist, 34" hip, quite toned. I do 4-6 hours exercise a week, a combination of aerobics, free weights, Pilates, swimming and high intensity exercise. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't call myself an athlete - I don't do marathons or sport, I just exercise because I enjoy it and have the time (ttc so no kids to look after yet). I eat healthily but don't deny myself the odd treat and I do pig out occasionally. If I start to feel 'blobby', then I cut out snacks until I feel normal again. So in general, I think I'm in good shape and doing the right things to stay that way.

I've never been told I need to lose weight (as I'm a little bit too short to be a supermodel ), until I saw a GP recently (a locum) who was fine until she looked on the BMI chart and saw I was (just) in the overweight category. She told me I should consider exercising and/or dieting. I was gobsmacked, as I had just been telling her about my exercise routine. I asked what other exercise I should do, what dietary changes to make, and what dress size she thinks I should aim for, but she didn't come up with anything I don't already do, i.e. exercise and eat healthily! She also said my size is fine. So I'm confused as well as annoyed - if my size is fine, then why do I need to lose weight? Is having a high BMI a problem in some other way? I've googled and read about athletes having higher BMI due to muscle mass, but I don't think that's really me - I'm no Chris Hoy!!

I asked this GP if BMI is really relevant, as I'm clearly not fat, but she was adamant that if the chart says I'm overweight, then I have to lose weight. As she was a locum, I probably won't see her again, but her advice really rankled and google hasn't given me the magic 'make it all go away' answer! So please tell me what you think!!

Well, it's a guide as to whether an individual is a healthy weight. The boundaries are really quite wide from 18.5-25. For me at 5'2'' I could be from 7'10lb to 10 st. I'm actually 8'5lb and slim. At 10st I would look frankly fat. I know this because I've been that weight! 7'10" is only good for 17 year olds...

But, my friend is the same height but weighs nearly 10 stone and looks good. The difference is this: I am an apple, she is a pear. It makes a huge difference. I'm guessing you are more pear than Apple?

Some research says that people who are borderline overweight have better health scores than lighter people. For me this fits in with the notion that pears, who may be heavier, are healthier (less prone to heart disease).

Anyway, you are fit, healthy and happy with how you look and I'm pretty surprised your locus advised weight loss. You can probably safely ignore. I know some very overweight people who have never been given dietary advice. All too often HCPs are afraid ofoffending their patients and omit to give good and timely advice.

Sorry for the essay!

I wouldn't stress about it. It's a shame your GP is being a slave to the BMI charts. It's better to work out your waist to height ratio (Google it) as fat on the stomach is the concerning thing and at 28" you should be okay :-)

I saw a Dietitian about my Diabetes last week, she told me she believes that waist measurement is far more important than BMI.
I am 5'1 and 13 st 5oz, which is 35.5 BMI, or, obese. However, I am dress size 14, so how can that possibly be obese????
The dietitian said as I had lost weight since my diagnoses, and gone down two notches on my belt, then not to worry too much about BMI. I've been told I do not need to change my diet, or up my exercise levels.....so, I for one am going to ignore BMI until they take into account shorter people are bound to come off worse!!

Thanks everyone, I think I just needed to hear that not everyone relies on BMI as the be-all-and-end-all of health measurements, as this locum seemed to! Without wanting to beat on, I do put quite a lot of effort into my diet and exercise and I thought I was getting good results, so it was galling to hear that I'm medically overweight, but I am going to try to forget about BMI again and go only by size! If I stop fitting into my jeans, then I'll start to worry... and might go looking for that GP!

BsshBossh - thanks for that suggestion. I'll have a look, I've heard of waist/height ratios before but never got around to googling... can't be worse than BMI though!

MatildatheCat, I don't think I'm a pear as I have quite broad shoulders... I do have chunky thighs - all muscle, but I'm never going to wear hotpants! I was ranting to my husband and he blamed it on my boobs - could be worse, I suppose!

You might be very fit with a lot of muscle. However for the average woman 8 - 9 stone at that weight probably looks best and 10.5 might be regarded on slightly the heavy side, although better 10 and a half stone than 12 or double that of course.

Usually looking in the mirror with nothing on tells most of us all we need to know about our weight.

If you're comfortable that's what matters.

Personally, I wouldn't feel healthy at either of the extremes of the BMI range. I feel about right at BMI 21-22. I recently just hit 10st4 (I'm 5'6 so that was about 23.5 BMI, so "healthy") for the first time ever and felt vile- heavy and sluggish. But everyone's different.

BMI is only a rough guideline and your GP is being really stupid to be that rigid about it.

Waist circumference is far more relevant to health outcomes; even waist:hip ratio is probably better than BMI.

If you are fit, healthy and have no underlying problems then trying to lose weight when you don't need to is utterly pointless.

"I am 5'1 and 13 st 5oz, which is 35.5 BMI, or, obese. However, I am dress size 14, so how can that possibly be obese????"

I don't think dress sizes are a good indicator. 13st 5 oz does sound a bit too high for your height. I am 5'7" and if I weighed that much I would look very unhealthy.

Dress sizes are no indication whatsoever.

I think the BMI calculation tends to be unkind to shorter women. My friend is small and is at the upper end of her healthy BMI range - which is ridiculous as she is really slim! OP, you sound healthy to me, I wouldn't worry about this locum.

I wouldn't worry op if you feel healthy that is pretty marginal.

I'm 5'10 and after both my babies at 12.5 stone was a size 14 (I have a flat tummy shape with big thighs) so am a bit confused by 5'1 and 13.5 ... Never sure about size generally as it depends where you shop. People much bigger than me are always claiming to be a 12 . Plus I have clothes in everything from an 8 to a 16

I think high BMI is a risk factor . It's not everything, but it's a signpost that things could be better.
If you're in the overweight zone then you could probably achieve a BMI that was healthier for you. But it's nowhere as risky as being in the obese zone on BMI, or being very sedentary or smoking.

My BMI is in the "normal" category and bang in the middle (21.6) but I have been told to lose weight. It annoys me because I watch what I eat, exercise etc. So I think BMI is just approximative and if your weight has an impact on your health then it is irrelevant. But I must admit I was annoyed to be told to lose weight when most of my friends are overweight or even obese!

I am dress size 14, so how can that possibly be obese

Why can't a size 14 be obese?

"I am dress size 14, so how can that possibly be obese"

It depends on how tall you are. I am 5'7" and could carry it off, but someone at 5' would probably be considered overweight.

Dress sizes are irrelevant anyway. Besides, a 2013 14 is way larger than a 1975 14.

You might have a lot of muscle (in a nice way!). BMI is helpful but only to a certain degree. There was that bbc programme ('trust me I'm a doctor' I think) that talked about how aerobic fitness and fat % are better but more expensive and time consuming measures. I think some gyms do them though so that might put your mind at ease?

Fwiw I've a BMI of 23 but couldn't run a mile to save my life.

And mine is 21 and neither could I.

Floppity, who told you you should lose weight ?

I am 5ft5, about 8st5 at the moment (a bit heavier than normal) and have similar vital stats to you, minus the 32E bust (according to the bra guru on her 28D), waist is about 28 and hips are a bit bigger 35/36 - yet my BMI is just over 19. Go figure.

I'm 5ft 7, and look....ahem....very well covered at 10 st 7

agree with Thumbwitch - waist measurement and factors such as blood pressure/cholesterol levels are more signficant than BMI on their own. Given your waist measurement is under 30 inches, and you do plenty of exercise, I wouldn't change what you are doing. Dress size is massively irrelevant, it varies so much from shop to shop anyway.

both my doctor and personal trainer say that BMI is a basic indicator and nothing more. The healthiest guy I know has a BMI of 27 or so; he is super fit with a well defined six pack. I wouldn't put much importance on it.

Octopus I am same height as you, similar stats - 32D, waist 29" and hips 36"- but I weigh about a stone more than you! So BMI 22. I am pretty fit and weight train a lot.

BMI is a good guideline and if you are outside the healthy range, its a good prompt to look at other factors, such as waist/height, body fat and general fitness to check if there is any issue. Dress size is TOTALLY irrelevant, sizes vary so much between stores that it is a pretty meaningless measure.