|
|
08-27-2012, 05:47 PM
|
#1
|
Melissa
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,367
Height: 5'6.5"
|
BMI charts and their flaws
My two sons today are pictured in my blog.
My oldest is turning 16 in 2 days. He's 6'2" and weighs 140 pounds. That fits within the normal BMI range (though on the lower end). He LOOKS right though. He's thin, but not sickly skinny.
My younger son is 7 years and 4 months and weighs 81 pounds and is 54" tall (4.5 feet exactly). Hearing that you would think chubby kid. BMI charts say he is obese.
http://melissaslife42.blogspot.com/2...of-school.html
Take a look. Is that obese? Not in my eye and not in his doctor's eye either. But people continually get sucked into this mindset that they have to fit in these parameters.
What if I were to buy into these numbers? Would if my son did and thought he was fat because he weighed 81 pounds? UGH.... I hate those stupid charts.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 06:12 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 266
S/C/G: HW-267/SW-252/ticker/GW-180
Height: 5'2"
|
You're little guy isn't obese at all! That is ridiculous!
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 06:26 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,213
S/C/G: 195/145/145
Height: 5'11"
|
I just ran my 14-year-old son's height (5/10"), weight (105 lbs) and age through the CDC's child/teen BMI calculator, and this is the message I got:
"Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 15.1 , placing the BMI-for-age below the 1st percentile for boys aged 14 years 8 months. This teen is underweight and should be seen by a healthcare provider for further assessment to determine possible causes of underweight."
Like your son, mine has a slender build and (I believe) light bones. He looks slim, but not skinny, and is well proportioned. So I'm ignoring the message. His doctor certainly doesn't seem concerned.
F.
Last edited by freelancemomma; 08-27-2012 at 06:26 PM.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 06:51 PM
|
#4
|
Heading Downtown...
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 1,394
S/C/G: 225/165/165
Height: 5'8"
|
The BMI in children IS NOT DIAGNOSTIC for obesity... It is used as a screening tool by healthcare professionals that then requires ADDITIONAL assessments e.g. body fat analysis, skin caliper measurements, etc. to diagnose childhood obesity...
Check out the BMI and children section of the CDC website... they do a pretty good job of explaining it... and it should put your mind at ease...
Oh... and for what it's worth... Your kids look pretty happy and healthy to me... So I say to you "Way to go Mom" whatever you're doing... Keep up the good work...
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 07:34 PM
|
#5
|
Back with a story
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 3,754
S/C/G: 281 / 254 / 160
Height: 5'3" - I got taller!
|
Your younger son is carrying a little extra bodyfat, sure, especially compared to his brother, but his frame is MUCH bigger and more dense, too. I'd say they both look very healthy and happy, just built differently. The BMI isn't a great diagnostic tool even for a room of adults, but given the variability in maturity and growth of children, it's absolutely bunk!
Keep it up Melissa, they look great. You've got to know when to take medical diagnostics seriously and when to ignore them, I'd say this sinks firmly into the 'ignore!' column
Last edited by Arctic Mama; 08-27-2012 at 07:34 PM.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 07:57 PM
|
#6
|
Optimistic cynic
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 1,078
S/C/G: 220/209/180
Height: 5'3"
|
They both look healthy and happy to me!
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 08:03 PM
|
#7
|
Melissa
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,367
Height: 5'6.5"
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SacredKestrel
The BMI in children IS NOT DIAGNOSTIC for obesity... It is used as a screening tool by healthcare professionals that then requires ADDITIONAL assessments e.g. body fat analysis, skin caliper measurements, etc. to diagnose childhood obesity...
Check out the BMI and children section of the CDC website... they do a pretty good job of explaining it... and it should put your mind at ease...
Oh... and for what it's worth... Your kids look pretty happy and healthy to me... So I say to you "Way to go Mom" whatever you're doing... Keep up the good work...
|
I know that. You know that, but people live by these numbers. I see it here all the time. DRIVES ME CRAZY
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 08:06 PM
|
#8
|
Melissa
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,367
Height: 5'6.5"
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arctic Mama
Your younger son is carrying a little extra bodyfat, sure, especially compared to his brother, but his frame is MUCH bigger and more dense, too. I'd say they both look very healthy and happy, just built differently. The BMI isn't a great diagnostic tool even for a room of adults, but given the variability in maturity and growth of children, it's absolutely bunk!
Keep it up Melissa, they look great. You've got to know when to take medical diagnostics seriously and when to ignore them, I'd say this sinks firmly into the 'ignore!' column
|
My younger son we do have to watch as he tends to pudge up - usually around a growth spurt and then grows into the weight. Doesn't help that he's high functioning autistic and that his low muscle tone makes movement less efficient and more tiring. BUT... no, he isn't obese.
My husband was always slightly pudgy like that as a kid (even more than my younger son). As an adult he's never had a weight problem. He's now 6'1" and 170 and all LEAN mass.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 08:06 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: North Texas
Posts: 379
S/C/G: 198/161/127 (started 03/2012)
Height: 5'1"
|
Our pediatrician uses it as a tool, but not the only tool, to assess obesity in children. Visually they look fine and I wouldn't worry. We were sent to the doctor because my daughter was "too thin" and the nurse was worried about a health or eating disorder. Obviously she's had her weight and height tracked since birth, mostly through the same doctor except one time she had a visit with a different one. His concern he said would be more if she shot up or gained or lossed a tremendous amount, but he said you're petite...your daughter will be too not surprisingly.
I think a lot of adults worry too much about numbers. I think BMI and weight do help assess our risks, but they aren't to be used solely. JMO.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 08:07 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: North Texas
Posts: 379
S/C/G: 198/161/127 (started 03/2012)
Height: 5'1"
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by berryblondeboys
I know that. You know that, but people live by these numbers. I see it here all the time. DRIVES ME CRAZY
|
LOL yeah that's what I was trying to say, don't ignore them, but don't live solely based on them!
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 08:48 PM
|
#11
|
Heading Downtown...
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 1,394
S/C/G: 225/165/165
Height: 5'8"
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by berryblondeboys
I know that. You know that, but people live by these numbers. I see it here all the time. DRIVES ME CRAZY
|
Tell me about it... I still sometimes hold on to the idea that once I get into the "Normal" BMI for my ht & wt that I can breathe a sigh of relief... That I'll be off the ledge and not about to go over the cliff into the abyss of obesity (oh God! Not that...! Please God anything but that...) But really.... I know myself...and for me BMI is a slippery slope... I mean if getting to 24 is good... Well than wouldn't getting to 19 be even BETTER? I mean wouldn't a BMI of 19 just be ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC for me?
Well the problem with that is I'm expecting that once I'm "thin" all my problems will magically be solved and my life will be just perfect... Well unfortunately life doesn't seem to work that way... At least for me anyway...
Now I'd better put my money where my mouth is.... and go change my goal weight...
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 09:09 PM
|
#12
|
Leveling Up
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 3,651
S/C/G: 200+/115/115
Height: 5'3"
|
Your kids look great!
It's also easy to see how differently they're built. It's also fascinating how different we can all be
Quote:
Originally Posted by berryblondeboys
I know that. You know that, but people live by these numbers. I see it here all the time. DRIVES ME CRAZY
|
Yeah totally! I remember when I was expressing worry about whether or not I might have gotten too thin and everyone said: "don't worry, you're at a healthy weight." I got so annoyed; maybe it wasn't healthy for me! Just because I'm 5'3" doesn't mean I'm automatically healthy if I'm in the 104-140lb range.
As it was I got down to 107 at one point and it was too thin for me—even though that's still within the healthy weight range. It's only 5 pounds, but I'm SO MUCH BETTER where I am now.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 09:13 PM
|
#13
|
There is no try.
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 1,274
S/C/G: 281/T/140
Height: 5'6"
|
re:
I don't think he looks overweight - definitely not obese. However, if he's anything like my son (who is probably aspergers but not diagnosed) we'll have to watch it it as they get older. If they're not into sports, or have any sort of motivation for fitness, it's only a matter of time before the weight starts to come on.
BTW - your older son looks just like you imo.
Last edited by Vex; 08-27-2012 at 09:13 PM.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 09:15 PM
|
#14
|
Melissa
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,367
Height: 5'6.5"
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sontaikle
Your kids look great!
It's also easy to see how differently they're built. It's also fascinating how different we can all be
Yeah totally! I remember when I was expressing worry about whether or not I might have gotten too thin and everyone said: "don't worry, you're at a healthy weight." I got so annoyed; maybe it wasn't healthy for me! Just because I'm 5'3" doesn't mean I'm automatically healthy if I'm in the 104-140lb range.
As it was I got down to 107 at one point and it was too thin for me—even though that's still within the healthy weight range. It's only 5 pounds, but I'm SO MUCH BETTER where I am now.
|
It is true - there are RANGES. From pictures I've seen of you - you look fine. People just get fixated on the numbers.
My husband got down to 153 when we were dating. He liked that weight, but he was just too thin. Like long distance runner thin which is just SKINNY. But probably still OK.
|
|
|
08-27-2012, 11:00 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Columbus OH
Posts: 2,524
S/C/G: 290/ticker/145
Height: 5'4"
|
That is definitely not an obese boy. He looks healthy- not super skinny, but healthy.
Last edited by kelly315; 08-27-2012 at 11:01 PM.
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:49 PM.
|