I just ran across this awesome set of photos on Flickr. Highly recommended. A "real world" look at the BMI numbers, illustrated by 111 people out and about in the world.

Edited to add:
To show the height, weight & BMI info of the people:
1) Click on "View as slideshow".
2) Click on "Options" in the upper right corner, and select, "Always show title and description". (The text may auto-hide but should show up if you mouse over it.)
3) If you'd like flick this option on and off easily, click on "Show Info" at the top of the screen.

I was really struck by some of the "obese" and even some "morbidly obese" people, who to my eye looked healthy and happy... and some of the "normal" looked ill. Maybe my eyes are chubby

I was thinking at a lot of the photos, "Really?!". Goes to show how such a variety of body types fit in those neat & orderly charts.

What do you think?

Wow, what a great site! I agree, some of these people do not look near overweight even though they are labeled as such. It's quite an eye opener...

i didn't see where their bmi numbers were...all i saw were pics of people.

yay thanks for that!

I had the same issue -- I should've posted what I figured out in my first post, whoops!

If you do the "View as slideshow", there is text in the upper right corner of the show that says "Options". Click on that, and you can select, "Always show title and description".

Then you're good to go

Sarah my son is 6' 4" and weighs 205 ~ his BMI says he is overweight ~ he is the one in the picture on the far right above his wife ~ what do you gals think?

Almost everything I've read or heard recently from legitimate members of the health and fitness industry says that the BMI is outdated and overrated as a tool for fitness. I've read that a waist-to-hip ratio is a more accurate way to figure out relative health (compared to the BMI). And I personally think looking at someone's body fat % vs lean mass would be a better indicator of health than either the BMI or waist-to-hip, but that's me.

Arnold Schwatzenager in his prime bodybuilding days, where he was all crazy muscle and lean as can be, was (according to BMI) "morbidly obese". He weighed a lot for his height, because he had so much muscle--not because he was fat.

Gary -- if your son is overweight, then they need a whole new category for me!! I'm not a big BMI fan, I think it's a good tool/starting point but some of those pics I was surprised at.

I hate the BMI. It is so stupid and doesn't tell you anything about the INDIVIDUAL.

If your son is overweight, 1/2 the people here, including myself, might as well give up!

(Not really, please, never give up! I'm just making a point that the BMI is ridiculously inaccurate!).

That was FASCINATING! Thanks for the tip on the descriptions. Wow!

If I hit my goal (somewhere in the 170s at 5'7"), I'll be "overweight." And, IMO, I'll look smokin' hot too!!!

This was VERY educational. Thank you!

Cheers,
full of grace

I see a great deal of 'overweight' people that I'd be quite happy to be there. Hence why my goal weight only puts me in the overweight category and I think 'normal' would look too thin on me.

Kitty

As someone commented on a picture of a triathlete, muscles weigh more than fat so someone who is really muscular and fit can be, according to BMI, overweight, even though they're only very muscular. I think BMI is a bit ridiculous.

Bumping this for the New Year

p.s. My current BMI at 258 pounds is 39 ("Severely Obese"), almost 40 ("Morbidly Obese").

True!
One of my nutrition lecturers said "it's just part of the puzzle". Meaning - one of many ways to class people by their height and weight. But really, we all know everyone is different.
Another thing I've heard (from a legitimate member of the fitness industry) is that the BMI is generally used for people who don't exercise.

Also very true!

I've known tons of guys I've worked out with who would be considered morbidly obese using the BMI chart...and they're pure, solid steel.

Moxie is MORBIDLY OBESE! She is 1 foot tall and TWELVE POUNDS! Shame on her!

Fantastically illustrative.