BMI vs race - worth a thought?

[Kohinoor]

Hi all,

I decided to do a bit of googling re the "BMI vs race" - and found this :-

http://www.halls.md/bmi/race.htm

Certainly, it would explain why some seem to have lower (or higher) end goals according to Doc Cohen. The one thing I see MISSING from most arguments is a "male vs female" component.

Like, if the average male has something like 20% higher body mass, then won't that have MANY males outside the BMI of 25 (if white European)?

I'm certainly no "full bottle" on this - but thought it might be worth putting "out there" for discussion.

Koh

[littlemiss]

Lol - well the closest ethnicity to me would be Indonesian which means that according to this study, at 57 kg, I'm still overweight! Interesting. Thanks for your note in my diary, Koh - would keep that in consideration.

[Kohinoor]

Hi LM,

according to this study, at 57 kg, I'm still overweight!

Interesting, for sure, LittleMiss. Certainly, it strikes me that "going lower than goal range" is not likely to be much of a problem for you, should you choose to do that.

If your ethnicity favours a lower natural weight, who are we to argue?

Koh

[jlou]

This is the calculator I use to work out my target weight range:

http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources...calculator.asp

which takes into account your frame size (yes, you can actually be 'big boned')

For me based on the standard BMI charts normal weight range for me would be 49.7kgs to 67kgs. Using my frame size (broad) my healthy weight range is 60 - 68kgs. My Cohens goal range is 59 to 62 so I am happy with that.

[fornight]

I remember it was announced that due to the genes, Asian bodies tend to store fat more. In view of that, it is necessarily to keep healthy BMI range lower for Asians. Really sad! It is bad enough that we have to face society's harsh standard on "thin and skinny = beautiful" and now we have to be subjected to more stringent rules due to our genes.

[Bronwyn1955]

Thanks for that site Jlou I find that I am broad so my goal is 62-70 and my Cohens is 63, so maybe I could get away with 66. Anyway see what happens when it gets closer.

[Future Yummy Mummy]

Good site, Jlou. Cohens weight exactly in the middle of what it recommends for me.

I'm medium (so no excuse!). Apparently Food Diary can help me lose my excess weight in 32 weeks! LOL, I think I'll stick to Cohens, should take about 16 weeks.

[lil_doll]

Hey Jlou... great site.

Took me a few goes to get my elbow breadth and OMG... How can this be??! How can I have a thin body frame???! ?! ?!!! All this time, I have used being big boned as an excuse *sigh

*hangs head in shame*

xoxo
Missy

[mcpsych]

yippee - broad. for what its worth , it concurs with DrC about what i need to lose so being big boned didnt help
hehehe
mark

[this..is..it!]

Awesome site Jlou, thanks for that!

I come out as Medium frame and Dr C's was in line with what it said. That web site just gave a few more kilos either side. Interestingly enough the weight I am at the moment is 1.8Kgs higher than there max weight for me (60kgs) so close!

Thanks again Jlou, great site

[lil_doll]

Ohh, I hadn't worked out how to find out my ideal weight, until now... I hope the site is wrong! haha.

My Cohens range is 60-63kgs, but that site says 54-59!! Cripey!!!

Let it be known, I may have sucked really badly at doing the elbow breadth... and I am even worse at using inches as measurements. *siiigh.

xoxo
Missy