3 ms·
> BMI is such a shit and antiquated metric BMI combined with body fat percentage is still useful, and likely every single doctor knows when to ignore BMI. Thi
by brandonmenc 10y ago
> BMI is such a shit and antiquated metric
BMI combined with body fat percentage is still useful, and likely every single doctor knows when to ignore BMI.
This idea that there are doctors looking at bodybuilders and saying, "well this number here says you're obese, so you're obese!" is absurd.
- kaitai 10y agoIt's not doctors who provide the most trouble, it's rules and regs coming from your health insurance or your job. There are plenty of stories about guys in the Army who can meet all their physical requirements but are getting dinged for having a BMI a smidge too high. Or if your job gives you a discount on health insurance for meeting certain standards, you may not qualify if your BMI is a bit high -- even if you're a champion athlete. When I last went through a health screening with a qualified professional, I was congratulated on my great health and great cholesterol levels. However, on some online screening I had to do for health insurance around the same time, I was warned that my BMI is a smidge high and my cholesterol is 1 point higher than desired. The online screening did not take into account activity level, functional health, or the differences between HDL and LDL. When health or financing decisions are made algorithmically there are some real traps.