Why do dr's still use BMI when it's not entirely accurate?!
Question: Why do dr's still use BMI when it's not entirely accurate!?
I know that it's a "general guideline" as to tell if someone is overweight or not, but, why is it that the dr's still use it on patients who are obviously not overweight!?
According to the BMI charts, they say that I'm slight;y overweight, so, my dr's always tell me that I should lose 5 or 10 lbs!. The only fat I have on me is a little tummy pooch (&, you really can't see it unless I'm in a bikini)!. My thighs & butt are rock solid!. Now, that's not to say that I shouldn't lose any weight, as I'm trying to get rid of that pooch, but, I don't think it's right for me to be classified as even slightly overweight, as it's all muscle (&, we all know that muscle weighs more than fat)Www@Answer-Health@Com
According to the BMI charts, they say that I'm slight;y overweight, so, my dr's always tell me that I should lose 5 or 10 lbs!. The only fat I have on me is a little tummy pooch (&, you really can't see it unless I'm in a bikini)!. My thighs & butt are rock solid!. Now, that's not to say that I shouldn't lose any weight, as I'm trying to get rid of that pooch, but, I don't think it's right for me to be classified as even slightly overweight, as it's all muscle (&, we all know that muscle weighs more than fat)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Funny that you mention this because it REALLY annoys me!. I took a weight lifting class just this last year and my instructor had us all come in the next day (for our assignment) with out BMI figured out!. When we all got there you could tell a lot of the guys didn't mind much but all the girls looked kinda down!. Well he asked me mine and I told him that mine said I was morbidly obese and he laughed!. I thought, what a jerk! And he said Heather, stand up!. Then he had everyone give a guess as to what I weighed!. I lift pretty regularly and I can bench 180 pounds!. I'm 5'10!. Everyone guessed I was between 170 and 195!. Even the girl my height!. When I told them I weighed 230 they all looked shocked!. And then our trainer said that I might be slightly overweight but I'm not obese and even more so not morbidly obese!. My trainer said that his BMI said he was morbidly obese too and this guys is ripped! Then he began to tell us "Ok, this is why I don't use bmi, it's a joke!." He checked our fat by one of those pinchers and it will make you feel tons better!. Your dr is on auto mode and just going thru the motions of each day or he would realize you are just fine!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
BMI is supposed to be a generic tool to approximate correct weight!. unless you are way above or bellow that scale, a doctor is supposed to evaluate your build and probably perform a body far ratio test!. that will be a better guide to let them know if you should loose any weight!. i mean, most body builders have almost no body fat but because of all the extra muscles, they would fail a BMI test!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
As long as you are healthy, is OK for you to have the weight now!.
To be honors, some doctor are just telling their opinion bast on what they had learn during their university time!. (Sorry for that doctors)!.
I have a friend who has a very skinny looks but still weigh a lot and is nearly over weight too!. She is really skin and bones!. So, like her case, the usual BMI can't be applicable to her!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
To be honors, some doctor are just telling their opinion bast on what they had learn during their university time!. (Sorry for that doctors)!.
I have a friend who has a very skinny looks but still weigh a lot and is nearly over weight too!. She is really skin and bones!. So, like her case, the usual BMI can't be applicable to her!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Doctors just like any other occupation use what they know and the tools they have to do thier jobs!. Sometimes knowledge and tools are outdated, or sometimes new tools are just not available or not easy to obtain at times!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It is still used as it is simple, cheap and quick to do, and doesn't require a lot of equipment!.
You are right!. It is pretty inaccurate in individuals, and is best suited for research purposes and classifying populations, not individuals!.
Muscle does weigh more than fat, that is why a muscular person will have a high BMI, like 30, classifying them as obese!.
I'm not disagreeing with your doctor, if he says loose weight, its probably for the best!. Sometimes when you are hard tummy or thighs, it can be because the skin is pulled tight over that area, or in the case of the stomach, the fat is behind the abdominal wall!. So it seems hard, but actually still quite fatty!. You know your body and you can make the decisions about it!.
Just a note, the BMI was developed on Caucasian populations, so for Asians the healthy range is lower (18-23) and for Africans the range is higher!. I don't know of any Latin specific BMI, but that is no doubt different too!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You are right!. It is pretty inaccurate in individuals, and is best suited for research purposes and classifying populations, not individuals!.
Muscle does weigh more than fat, that is why a muscular person will have a high BMI, like 30, classifying them as obese!.
I'm not disagreeing with your doctor, if he says loose weight, its probably for the best!. Sometimes when you are hard tummy or thighs, it can be because the skin is pulled tight over that area, or in the case of the stomach, the fat is behind the abdominal wall!. So it seems hard, but actually still quite fatty!. You know your body and you can make the decisions about it!.
Just a note, the BMI was developed on Caucasian populations, so for Asians the healthy range is lower (18-23) and for Africans the range is higher!. I don't know of any Latin specific BMI, but that is no doubt different too!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I think it's be because it is easier to throw everyone in a box, rather than treat each individual seperately!. Your lucky, I'm sure there are some very small framed people who are carring alot of extra weight that are classified as 'normal'!.!.!.it could be worse, just remember that you know your body better than anyone and you should feel great regardless of a inacutrate BMI!. Also on a bright note you can always win a prize from those weight guessers at amusment parks! (I always do, it's just one of the perks!.)Www@Answer-Health@Com