Doctors Weight Charts...

Loosehead | 10:09 Fri 28th Oct 2005 | Body & Soul

9 Answers

OK why do doctors still go by those ridiculous height weight charts they take no account of body composition. I haven't been my "correct weight" since I was 14. I go to the Gym 4-5 times a week, Rugby training twice a week and Play on Saturday yet according to the doctors I'm almost Obese! On the charts they use, most of the England/Welsh/Scotts team would be Obese or clinically obese which is quite clearly "�$%%^cks ditto sprinters and many other sportsmen. So why don't they get up to date and use the body composition rather than blindly using the weight? I mean it is possible to be underweight on the "chart" but over fat percentage wise or overweight on the chart but with very little body fat. Any doctors care to comment?

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littlemissx

not a dr but mine told me for my height i should be ablout 8stone... i laughed at him.... i would look anorexic.... my ideal weigh is about 9.5stone

boobesque

my gp has a BMI chart intead of one of those old things as like littlemissx my ideal weight used to be 7-8st, i would never want to be that skinny lol

january_bug

My friend has weighing scales that you stand on and it does your fat %, I'd have thought that would be very important.

I'm usually "underweight" for my height, and I like to stay that way, but I'm not anorexic or anything like that, nor am I on a constant diet. I don't suppose the doctor would tell me to put ON weight!!!

So I agree, those old fashioned charts are a load of old bunkum! Mind you, I think I've made it clear elsewhere what I think of the way some surgeries conduct their "new patient inspections" (that of course include weighing people in their clothes - ri-flippin-diculous!). but maybe I'm biased in my opinion cos I don't like many of the nurses at my surgery!

Impret-Sir

I am not a doctor, but I am a health care professional, and I can say Loosehead that you have to remember that the charts doctors use are meant to represent the majority of the population, and that is not you, or any professional sportsman. Of course people who train their bodies regularly are going to have higher than average muscle to fat ratios, and any doctor will recognise that and make allowances for it, (I am about two stone over weight, according to the charts, but like you, I train quite a bit, so its muscle not fat), the fact is that the majority of people in the world do not work out and build body mass, they do almost no exercise at all in fact, so the chart has to be worked out for them, the doctor will use his common sence when he is looking at an athlete to tell him that you or they are not obese.