Am i really so close to obesity?!

[missjef]

According to the BBC BMI (body mass index) calculator i have a BMI of 29.10 which is classed as overweight, 30 or greater is classed as obese, but i dont feel that i am that close to being obese. Overweight is between 25-30, so i am quite high up on the overweight scale. I am an 18 year old girl, im 5ft 3ish, i weigh just under 12 stone, and i do feel slightly overweight but i dont feel as overweight as this is telling me i am! I wear size 12 tops mainly unless i want them baggy then i get a 14, and bottoms are usually size 14 or 16 so i dont feel like i am on the verge of being obese!! So am i really that close to obesity or are my proportions wrong or something?? oh and for all you people interested in what your BMI is heres the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/you r_weight/bmiimperial_index.shtml

[ummmm1]

My BMI is 20.85

[ummmm1]

oh...im just over 5ft 5 and weigh about 9.3stone

[gasman]

Well I am a 5' 8" bloke who works in the building game so quite stocky and muscley and i only weigh just under 11 stone. So without wishing to upset you at 5'3" and female I would say that you are very borderline Obese.

[gasman]

My BMI according to the link is 23.45 - Ideal weight .
If you're BMI rings alarm bells and you are not happy with it maybe you're GP could help you out ? Good Luck.

[liquidspace]

Well mine is 36.24 but I find it so hard to diet even though I have reason to. Im 40 and I think it gets more difficult the older you get.

[jake-the-peg]

BMI measurements are crude do not take into consideration a number of factors

If your waist measurement is less than 40" for a man or 35" for a woman you are not considered obese whatever your BMI says.

Actually you're in the overwight category just outside obese almost exactly where I am (although you're a little shorter)

I'm not worried about it, I'm doing a karate Black belt grading in a few months and if I'm fit enough for that I'm not worrying about what my BMI says :c).

There was an interesting psycology experiment some years back where a bendy mirror was used (like in a hall of mirrors) and women were asked to adjust it to show them correctly - almost all found that they adusted it to make them look fatter than they were.

You could try this experiment. Pin up a roll of wallpaper back to front and take a pen and draw what you think your out-line is on it. Then go and stand in the outline you're drawn and I'll bet you find you can stand in it quite comfortably

[missjef]

thanks for your answers so far people, without sounding too stupid do you think theres any chance some people are just heavier than others?? lol.

[Miss Inquiry]

Missjef, don't beat yourself up about it darling BMI is a not incredibly accurate for many reasons. BMI measurement are not as accurate if you're an athlete or very muscular (muscle weighs more than fat) as this can push you into a higher BMI category even if you have a healthy level of body fat. It's also not accurate for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or people who are frail.

Jonny Wilkinson falls into the obese category as his BMI is over 30, and he is not incredibly tall.

I'm not saying BMI is rubbish, but you need to take load of other things into consideration too.

[ummmm1]

Yes missjef....just done my cousin who is sitting with me...his was 30.8 and he is not even fat!!!!

[boro1986]

ive just did mine 6 foot 1 and 11 and a half and im healthy (not that i feel it at the mo) but as most have said take it with a pinch of salt how can 2 questions determine the way you are x Mind you from what you put you sound like you got one fat ass ha ha x

[gasman]

So thats where you keep that extra half a stone pa___ul .
Unfortunatley my father tells me there was a shortage on in the war when he was born so he did me no favours LOL.

[Hellion]

Missjef I'm sure some people are 'heavier' than others. My SIL and I are the same height and wear the same size clothes but she is stone and half lighter than I am. Her bone structure is very slight, narrow shoulders and hipsand no waistline, I have broader shoulders and hips and a smaller waist - more hour glassy if you like. The last time I weighed what she did I was in hospital on a drip!
Basically, eat healthily and exercise at 18 your metabolism is at it's peak so don't worry about it too much BUT do keep an eye on it - the older you get the harder it is to lose weight.

[Hugh Spencer]

I had to visit my practice nurse about some medical matter and using her tables,etc she said I was bordering on obese. I don't remember my readings but I questioned her about it but all medical staff can do is use what information they are given. Incidentally, this measurement was queried when doctors were questioned by its validity and they agreed it had to be revised.

[B00]

Don't go off sites misjef, they are usually a load of codswallop!

Are you happy with your body weight? Are you resonably fit and healthy? If you answer 'yes'to both, bu88er that site and anyone else who may try to tell you that you're overweight.

It really drives me bonkers that society is so obsessive about size, don't try and conform just to be what they consider the 'norm'

Viva La Revolution!

[B00]

PS
not looked at the site as I honestly couldn't tell you what I weigh, not weighed myself in years. I prefer ignorant bliss.....lol

[ilovemarkb]

hi there missjef. My statistics are exactley same as yours. Ive gone on diets all my life and found that i normally end up weighing more than i did to begin with. I am very fit, ride a bike and go to tap classes. I put my weight down to muscle tone.People often tell me that i dont need to lose weight. My genetics tells my body that my correct weight is 11.12 and thats that! I recently had a breast reduction done,this could only be done if i had a bmi of 30 or less! my advise is that aslong as your eating a healthy diet and you feel good then try not to worry about your bmi !!!

[Madgirl2]

Just a note of interest. The medical profession are starting to use the BMI tool less and less as it has come to realise that it does not take into account 'muscle mass'. As pointed out by other AB'ers, muscle weighs more than fat so theoretically, you could have a boxer who is clinically obese according to the BMI scale. My practice nurse told me that BMI scale is not a credible tool in all cases! Hope this makes you feel better :-)