What is your Body Mass Index?

[Swift]

http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm

[Edmond Zedo]

BMI is gonzo if you have more muscles than a non-athlete or marathoner, and I do.

[Hawkon]

your bones actually make a difference too. yeah, it actually is a "thing" called big boned.

I'm 23.1kg/m², and I'm way too skinny for my size. Used to be 24.8kg/m² when I actuall was "active" and my body looked/felt more complete than now.

[booyalab]

um there was already a bmi thread *will edit later when i find it*
ok, didn't find it. Oh well, mine is 16.4. Apparently, my weight is at the 2nd percentile.

[Edmond Zedo]

Quiet, skinny!

[booyalab]

here's a calculator to find your frame size
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/fsz
I have a small frame
(my wrist is 5.5 inches :O)

[Edmond Zedo]

It looks as if I have a large frame.

[booyalab]

sure ya do, fatty

[Edmond Zedo]

You ectomorphs never know when to shut your mouths. Cute, though. :P

[booyalab]

:p

[Edmond Zedo]

Don't make me pull a SHAI GAR.

[Little Miss Krahka]

Last I checked, I was 16, or 17 or something. So yeah. Another one who is friggin' skinny.
It's just because I forget to eat food most of the time. ("No, I'm not hungry. I'm doing something. Who cares that I haven't had anything to eat all day? I'm busy. Go away.")

[garak]

20.9 -- skinny but not overly so

[booyalab]

Another one who is friggin' skinny. It's annoying being skinny. Just because I forget to eat food most of the time. ("No, I'm not hungry. I'm doing something. Who cares that I haven't had anything to eat all day? I'm busy. Go away.")

I also don't normally bother eating when I'm doing something. But if I'm hungry enough, I can't even concentrate until I get something in me. (Hmm..shut up, you-know-who-you-are)

[Edmond Zedo]

I adore skinniness. I'm surely not alone; Don't fret.

[Edmond Zedo]

I can't even concentrate until I get something in me. (Hmm..shut up, you-know-who-you-are)
:rolleyes:

[Geoff]

BMI 20. But I dont agree that that is normal - still have a bit of a beer belly to clear off (maybe 6 or 7 lbs).

I think maybe I have a small frame (wrists are quite small etc). So maybe that is why!

-Geoff

[Hawkon]

here's a calculator to find your frame size
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/fsz
I have a small frame
(my wrist is 5.5 inches :O)

stupid american sizes. USE TEH METRIX! :rant:

[Witticism]

DOWN WITH IMPERIAL UNITS.

Hem. Anyway, I have a BMI of 22, which is on the padded side of normal. Round hips, basically, which is a pity because I love skinny.
According to the frame calculator, though, I have a small frame (clearly this is not so!) because I have skinny wrists.

[LuridLemur]

.

[booyalab]

I'm in the 10th percentile 17.5 I think, because I'm 5' 8" and 115 lbs. I guess you could call me skinny, but I eat constantly.

Don't worry, you'll bloat up when you reach 40.
I also have a high metabolism but I will continue to be skinny when I'm middle-aged because I don't take advantage of the fact that I can eat whenever I want and thus it won't be a habit to break when I need to.

[booyalab]

stupid american sizes. USE TEH METRIX! :rant:
I've had quite enough of you metric-obsessed losers, allow me to tell you where to put your system.

[Hawkon]

I've had quite enough of you metric-obsessed losers, allow me to tell you where to put your system.

Now that's enlightenment, the fear of change! You're in teh deep.
Your system just doesn't have a box of logic attached to it.

[booyalab]

Now that's enlightenment, the fear of change! You're in teh deep.
Your system just doesn't have a box of logic attached to it.


How is change in and of itself good and why should WE conform? To learn each system requires a similar amount of memorization. I'm familiar with both and in my experience, the imperial is more practical for everyday use while the metric is better for scientific use. When the metric obsessed want to make polls, threads, and such you can use your system. We will use ours. Shut up and get over yourselves.

[Hawkon]

How is change in and of itself good and why should WE conform? To learn each system requires a similar amount of memorization. I'm familiar with both and in my experience, the imperial is more practical for everyday use while the metric is better for scientific use. When the metric obsessed want to make polls, threads, and such you can use your system. We will use ours. Shut up and get over yourselves.

The test, which this poll was based on, actually had a metric/imperial option. The one you posted did not. We use inches and feet too, but only because of goods imported from Great Britain and America. I'm just saying; while you want to change us with your goods, you ought to use our standards. And that's a globalization question, nothing directed to you personally ;)

Sorry for the off-topic track. return(0)

[booyalab]

while you want to change us with your goods, you ought to use our standards.


rhetoric disguised as a logical argument


Sorry

go and sin no more

[rich036]

We use inches and feet too, but only because of goods imported from Great Britain and America.

Britain uses both.. so no blaming us.

[songbird36]

I'm around 25 I think (top of the range for my height - 5'6).

But I'm not weight obsessed and never will be. It's pathetic.

[Geoff]

Britain does not really use both, the metric is almost the exclusive version for goods on retail (for example food items), so Scandinavia cant blame it on us, anymore!

Merely trying to sell something in inches, or pounds here could see you prosecuted.

At least we can still sell beer by the pint (now there's an imperial measure with a purpose ;) )

Personally I am happy with the mixed system, why not use whichever is most appropriate (like Booyalab says, imperial when you need it, metric when you need it -science mostly).

We're a clever enough bunch to use both.

-Geoff

[rich036]

Britain does not really use both, the metric is almost the exclusive version for goods on retail (for example food items), so Scandinavia cant blame it on us, anymore!

But since this thread is about people's BMI numbers.. you can say we use both, since I have yet to hear anyone outside of school to talk of weight or height in metric terms.

[Geoff]

Yes, good point.

However the comment earlier was about Scandinavia using it because of goods imported from here. I believe we are out of the slave trade nowadays ;)

-Geoff

[Hawkon]

Haw haw, it was only a losy argument.

Yet, soft power rule the earth, so don't give me crap about the super-power not having any influence.

On the other hand, I was flaming the imperial ONLY. Both is great, like the first test.

[Dman]

Everyone knows the imperial system is inferior, the ONLY reason it is still used at all is because it would be too expensive to cross over to the metric system at this point

[Geoff]

Inferior in some of the systems, but not all.

Take an example, a pint of beer (or a similar measure).

Human society/culture as it stands must surely recognise the need for an easily identifiable measure of 'one beer' (pint) or one portion of whisky (shot). It is a system designed around that need. Now, I fully accept that with any other occasion it is not as useful as metric (eg in measuring a large quantity of seawater).

But.... when you want one drink, a system that is defined so that everyone knows what one unit is, is not a bad one. When that unit is a very common measure used in practice.

I am being rational here and presenting a genuine argument for an imperial system (and forget our natural bias here guys).

For that reason I would say fahrenheit is a worthless system for weather measuring, celsius is more logically organised and has a clear base point (0, of course). There is no standard number (as far as I know) which would argue its use over anything other than historical reasons. Likewise, miles, inches etc. No need other than historical

So just drinks based upon the historic measures, I think!

As for weights, pounds are not too useful, although I can see some merit in the 'stones' system prevalent in someone like the UK. It might be natural bias here (difficult to detach entirely here) but the kg becomes too small a unit to get a feel for weight 'quickly' in the mind whereas the comparison between 10 stones and 15 stones is easily recognised and 'grasped' yet 75 kg and 112 kg is not...

-Geoff

[rich036]

Likewise, miles, inches etc. No need other than historical

Miles.. required because 30 mph doesnt fit nicely to 30kph, and because of that, people will have an excuse to break speed limits.. think of how many road signs would need changing over night..

It isn't historical, it's being forced into it by not adapting kilometres at an easier time.

[Almaviva]

Metric is obviously superier for anything scientific, where you want to just convert everything to kg/meters/seconds/Kelvin/etc.

But for everyday life, it just doesn't matter. Is a km a better unit for driving distance than a mile? When I'm driving, I don't care how many feet or meters it is. I can go about 1 mile a minute, or 100km an hour on a trip, and there isn't much of an advantage either way.

Height in feet/inches versus cm just doesn't matter. It all depends on what scale you're used to. I don't need to convert my height to km, and relate it to distance, unless I'm doing science. I prefer weather temperature in Farenheit: 0 is really cold, 100 is really hot. When I go outside, I don't care how close to boiling water is, and if I use F, it's easy enough to remember that freezing is 32.

Same thing with weights in kg versus pounds. It's just what you're used to.

Now with cooking measurements, I think it would be better if everyone used metric. It's hard to remember how many tsp in a tbsp, and how many of those in a quarter cup, and how that relates to ounces versus fluid ounces and so forth.

[rich036]

Now with cooking measurements, I think it would be better if everyone used metric. It's hard to remember how many tsp in a tbsp, and how many of those in a quarter cup, and how that relates to ounces versus fluid ounces and so forth.

Agree with that. when I'm making fairy cakes, I've very annoyed.. because the receipe on the back of the box says a 'teaspoon full of water' for the icing, but when you're measuring the butter, it's '50g'.

Mixing and matching is so annoying!

[Helios]

This thing is a load-o-shite! It said I am overweight @24.1 BMI! I'll have this foolish matrix know my body fat is circa 5%

BTW I not like all muscled, I think the thing is wacked

[Architectonic]

22.4, which is about right, since I do minimal exercise these days...

[QrioCT]

19 for me. agh how i wished that was my waist size in inches...

[Geoff]

Don't fret, a BMI of 19 is nice and healthy. If you are not happy at that then maybe your MBI is not properly measured or you have, well, a destructive self image.

In order to measure it right you need to figure in body frame, there are some links somewhere about measuring things like your wrist and distance between palm and elbow.

-Geoff

[cjs55]

22.4

I'm fine with that, I need a little more muscle mass though.

[songbird36]

I'm up around 24-25. Top end of normal.

But still very sexy :rofl:

[Geoff]

Good to see people recognise what is healthy.

I want mine to be mid normal. Have moved it from 21.8 to 20.7 since January 1st!

-Geoff

[Eileen]

22-ish.

I used to be way skinnier, and then I swear to God, I went on a road trip for three weeks, sat on my ass and ate cheetoes (sp?!) while driving a car, and I came home with a much bigger ass. And then I moved into an apartment and cooked for myself, so I wasn't living off of salads and baked potatoes from the school eateries anymore. In probably six months, I'd gained about 20 pounds. I am still very uncomfortable with this. But I'm not allowed to chime in when the ladies at work are talking about weight watchers, because I will get the Evil Motherfucking Eye from this one lady. Grrr. I try to recognize that I'm healthy, but I spent my life being very skinny (all through high school and college, at 5'7, 105-110 pounds!), so it has been an adjustment.

I need to exercise. I'd probably feel better about myself if I did. Sigh.

[Geoff]

22-ish.

I used to be way skinnier, and then I swear to God, I went on a road trip for three weeks, sat on my ass and ate cheetoes (sp?!) while driving a car, and I came home with a much bigger ass. And then I moved into an apartment and cooked for myself, so I wasn't living off of salads and baked potatoes from the school eateries anymore. In probably six months, I'd gained about 20 pounds. I am still very uncomfortable with this. But I'm not allowed to chime in when the ladies at work are talking about weight watchers, because I will get the Evil Motherfucking Eye from this one lady. Grrr. I try to recognize that I'm healthy, but I spent my life being very skinny (all through high school and college, at 5'7, 105-110 pounds!), so it has been an adjustment.

I need to exercise. I'd probably feel better about myself if I did. Sigh.

Exercise is the key, precisely. And once you start that slipperly slope, raising your metabolism is by far the easiest fix. Me I let it slip until I had gained more like 50 lbs a few years ago. And by then my metabolism was screwed and it was very difficult to get everything back under control.
And from my own experience, the energy boost you get from the exercise, the energy to run up stairs, to feel a 'buzz' is well worthwhile. Just do it before it gets too difficult to start!

-Geoff

[songbird36]

Good to see people recognise what is healthy.

I want mine to be mid normal. Have moved it from 21.8 to 20.7 since January 1st!

-Geoff

Yeah but you're a perfectionist. lol

[Geoff]

Yeah but you're a perfectionist. lol

You say that... but well, I spent about 5 years 50+ pounds over my current weight. When I look back now, I can barely even look at the photographs!

-Geoff

[songbird36]

Me too.

I was just telling someone else this morning I *used* to weigh 82 kg when I was much younger. I am now around 67kg. And I am only 5'6" in height. Get the picture?

[Geoff]

Oh yes, where I am about 6 foot 1 my proportions were the same 'problem' as yours. We've both seen the beast, and it isnt a place I'd choose to return to.

I now have people say to me "It is easy for you, I bet you are one of those people who just eat what they want, why can't I be the size I want". Like I have some magic power, silly people. I suppose I should say "Err, how about going down the gym 5 times a week like me, and eating a healthy diet". But why bother, I am not there to teach them life's easily learned lessons! Of course, if people dont mind what size they are it doesnt matter. It is the people who complain about something changeable and do nothing to change it that dont have my sympathy!

-Geoff

[songbird36]

Yeah I have some views on obesity etc that I'm not sure I am prepared to share on this forum for fear of being jumped on.

Suffice to say, it is far healthier to be a normal weight and to work to achieve that.

[Geoff]

The difficulty is when one is seen to be prescribing how someone should live their life. INTP arent good at taking advice!

It's clearly healthier, but we wont open Pandora's Box of Diet discussions ;)

-Geoff

[jjt]

BMI is a highly innaccurate way to measure body fat, as it is a ratio between total body weight and height. It is only a good indicator if you are of average build and musculature. A body builder or football player of lower than average body fat could easily measure as overweight or even obese. On the other hand a person of small build and little muscle may measure ideal but have higher than ideal body fat.

If you want to work out your body fat there is an online calculator here, again it's not perfect but I have found it to be within 4 % of caliper measurements.
http://www.drsears.com/drsearspages/bodyfatcalcu.jsp

[songbird36]

BMI is a highly innaccurate way to measure body fat, as it is a ratio between total body weight and height. It is only a good indicator if you are of average build and musculature. A body builder or football player of lower than average body fat could easily measure as overweight or even obese. On the other hand a person of small build and little muscle may measure ideal but have higher than ideal body fat.

If you want to work out your body fat there is an online calculator here, again it's not perfect but I have found it to be within 4 % of caliper measurements.
http://www.drsears.com/drsearspages/bodyfatcalcu.jsp

Are you a dietician JJ? lol

I don't want calipers on me..tyvm.

[jjt]

Are you a dietician JJ? lol

I don't want calipers on me..tyvm.

Registered Nurse, but have worked as a nutritionist for the last 8 years. Not a registered dietition, but self trained and lots of books and courses, and keeping up with current research. I specialise in low Glycemic Load diets (like the Zone Diet).

[songbird36]

I have my older son on a dairy free diet at the moment to try and control his Eczema (which is very bad).

He also has a severe peanut allergy.

[jimkopelli]

It's not accurate for me... I know that I'm 17, and it gave me 25... can I help it if I have more muscle than I need? It does weigh more...

[jjt]

I have my older son on a dairy free diet at the moment to try and control his Eczema (which is very bad).

He also has a severe peanut allergy.

Is the dairy free helping? (I've known it to work for some people)

Here's a quirky bit of research, from the UK. There is a very close correlation between the amount of water used and the incidence of eczema. The Brits were known for their one per week bath, and now it's daily eczema has increased dramatically. The theory goes if we dont have a bit of dirt to fight we start getting an auto-immune problem.

[jimkopelli]

Doesn't really seem to apply that much... but then, I ate a fair amount of dirt as a kid, and played outdoors a lot. Maybe this also has something to do with allergies... I don't have any at all.

Attention! People with allergies! Did you play outside in planty areas as a kid? Or not? Should I make this a seperate thread?

[songbird36]

Is the dairy free helping? (I've known it to work for some people)

Here's a quirky bit of research, from the UK. There is a very close correlation between the amount of water used and the incidence of eczema. The Brits were known for their one per week bath, and now it's daily eczema has increased dramatically. The theory goes if we dont have a bit of dirt to fight we start getting an auto-immune problem.

Yes I've heard that theory as well. I'm not sure why it means that some kids (like my son) have severe allergies, and others don't. He has to be so careful.

So far the dairy free isn't really making an impact (he's been on it for 2 weeks and is drinking lactose free milk). He cannot have soy unfortunately as he reacts to that as well (it's related to peanuts).

[Architectonic]

Its also worth trying a gluten free diet.

[jjt]

Yes I've heard that theory as well. I'm not sure why it means that some kids (like my son) have severe allergies, and others don't. He has to be so careful.

So far the dairy free isn't really making an impact (he's been on it for 2 weeks and is drinking lactose free milk). He cannot have soy unfortunately as he reacts to that as well (it's related to peanuts).

Lactose free milk might still be a problem as he could be reacting to the milk protein (not the lactose which is milk sugar)
In my experience you have to go completely milk free to see if it works.

Try lots of fish oil too if he can tolerate it.

[songbird36]

Fish oil? Interesting. What's the theory behind that?

He does like fish and as a matter of fact we had Gurnard for dinner just last night!

[jjt]

Fish oil? Interesting. What's the theory behind that?

He does like fish and as a matter of fact we had Gurnard for dinner just last night!

Fish oil combined with the zone diet or similar low Glycemic load diet, combine to decrease inflammatory hormones that some people over-produce. Asthma and eczema and linked with an overproduction of leukotrienes (a type of inflammatory hormone). This can help. (see www.drsears.com)
Oolong tea has been shown to help.
Daily vaccuuming to keep dust mites down.
Probiotics (friendly gut bacteria) may help.

[songbird36]

Thanks JJ that is *very* helpful indeed. I hope you don't charge for your dietary advice!

Yes I suspect dustmites may be a problem for him too. He often gets wheezy and coughs in the morning after he's been asleep in his bed, and I suspect his mattress is full of them. I need to air it out more often. He also has dusty books in his room which could be contributing to the problem

But the bottom line is it's a "hard nut to crack". Oh my gosh, two horrible cliches in the same sentence!

[Geoff]

You dont keep him too clean do you? Less antibacterials etc can help with this stuff.

-Geoff

[jjt]

Thanks JJ that is *very* helpful indeed. I hope you don't charge for your dietary advice!

Yes I suspect dustmites may be a problem for him too. He often gets wheezy and coughs in the morning after he's been asleep in his bed, and I suspect his mattress is full of them. I need to air it out more often. He also has dusty books in his room which could be contributing to the problem

But the bottom line is it's a "hard nut to crack". Oh my gosh, two horrible cliches in the same sentence!

I'm really sensitive to dustmites, they give me itchy eyes. I have to have the right pillow (I have a latex one) regulary vaccuum the mattress (and electric blanket) and reglarly wash any blankets / duvets / mattress protectors to keep them from affecting me.

[songbird36]

A latex pillow? That sounds strange.

My grandfather was actually *highly* allergic to Latex, and for that reason (he was a surgeon) he had to give up surgery and spend his later years in General medical practice, due to the need to avoid Latex gloves.

[Geoff]

A lady who works with me has bad dust mite allergies but she seems to have them under control much of the time now (still sneezes more than most). Happy to ask her what works for her if it would help...

-Geoff

[songbird36]

A lady who works with me has bad dust mite allergies but she seems to have them under control much of the time now (still sneezes more than most). Happy to ask her what works for her if it would help...

-Geoff

OK. My son has asthma, eczema and severe peanut allergy. Any advice that could assist with all three problems at once, would be particularly valuable!

[Geoff]

OK, try not to let him eat peanuts. Well.. it's a start. I'll see what I can find out!

-Geoff

[songbird36]

OK, try not to let him eat peanuts.
-Geoff

Thanks, that's very incisive of you.

[jjt]

A latex pillow? That sounds strange.

My grandfather was actually *highly* allergic to Latex, and for that reason (he was a surgeon) he had to give up surgery and spend his later years in General medical practice, due to the need to avoid Latex gloves.

I think it's the ongoing direct contact with latex that's the problem, I haven't heard of anyone becoming allergic to latex (often called foam rubber) from pillows or mattresses (but I haven't researched this yet!)
I guess what I am saying is a pillow that doesn't 'store' dust mites / dust.

[jjt]

Just another thought, my son is really sensitive to some laundry powders, he gets a bad dermatitis on contact with clothes and bedding unless we wash it with the non enzyme type, low allergenic powders.

[Architectonic]

OK. My son has asthma, eczema and severe peanut allergy. Any advice that could assist with all three problems at once, would be particularly valuable!

I'm do have somewhat limted knowledge in this area, but...

Asthma and eczema can often be caused by the same allergen.

Anyway, there tends to be two types of allergen.

Contact allergens are those that tend to cause allergies when in contact with the skin, but can also cause respiratory problems.
Patch testing is a good way to test for contact allergens.

The other type of allergens are those that are ingested into the body. These can also cause similar symptoms - eczema and asthma for example, although it also depends on the allergen itself. For example, dairy allergies tend to cause digestive problems more than eczema. Whereas sugar (can be different types of sugar...) and wheat gluten tend to be more commonly associated with eczema, at least in the experience of myself and people I know anyhow.

The elimination (of one type of allergen at a time) process is generally most successful to determine these allergies. (especially when the symptoms are something pretty obvious like eczema)

[songbird36]

All of these things are good suggestions and I've tried the Persil sensitive type power JJ.

But nothing seems to crack this problem...

[Architectonic]

At least you are trying to figure it out, I know someone who lived their entire life without solving the problem - and overuse of hydrocortisone also caused massive health problems later in life. (they used to prescribe hydrocortisone tablets in very large doses...)

[Geoff]

All of these things are good suggestions and I've tried the Persil sensitive type power JJ.

But nothing seems to crack this problem...

I spoke to my work colleague who has dust mite allergies. She finds the latex pillows work very well for keeping away the sneezes!

-Geoff