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http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/summer-of-science-2015/latest/how-often-is-bmi-misleading?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur
We've spoken a lot about Height/Weight Standards, and the "Tape Test" being inaccurate measures of health. Linked is an article, with some interesting data. It appears that the magic number is 18% (approximate 1 in 5).
Presented for discussion.
We've spoken a lot about Height/Weight Standards, and the "Tape Test" being inaccurate measures of health. Linked is an article, with some interesting data. It appears that the magic number is 18% (approximate 1 in 5).
Presented for discussion.
Height and Weight
Fitness
Health
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 7
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Well, it all depends on which branch of the service you are speaking about; really the only correct method that has been documented medically is the immersion test that the USAF utilizes, this test is actually the only way to attain exact data on body fat vs. actual muscle, etc.; the other tests are very subjective, and leave too much room for error. The "pinch" test is the second test I would trust somewhat; again its still subjective, as the person administering the test can easily skew the results, but its still better than the "tape" test, which is not an accurate measurement for body fat; this has been documented by the medical profession for years.
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BMI was created to evaluate total populations, not individuals.
http://www.cutthewaist.com/bmi.html
"Although BMI is a useful measurement across populations, it is increasingly apparent that BMI has significant limitations in the assessment of the individual as it does not take into account the distribution of body fat."
http://www.cutthewaist.com/bmi.html
"Although BMI is a useful measurement across populations, it is increasingly apparent that BMI has significant limitations in the assessment of the individual as it does not take into account the distribution of body fat."
The origins and limitations of BMI: The importance of waist circumference: Cut the Waist
The concept of BMI - a simple ratio of weight in relation to height, was the work of a Belgian statistician, Adolphe Quetelet who published his "Quetelet Index" in 1832. It is important to emphasise that Quetelet had no interest in studying obesity when he developed this index.
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LTC Paul Labrador
BMI is also based on an arbitrary "ideal body type".....which in this case was that of a 20 year old mesomoprhic white male....
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I understand there are standards for a reason, having always battled weight and the tape test myself. One's H/W is a personal responsibility as is passing the APFT, which I was always able to do. The only comment I ever had about it was, if they can flag you for failing H/W or APFT and deny you favorable actions, then how come there's not a scale or running track to take an APFT next to the airstrip when you board a plane for a deployment? Hmm...
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At 6'5" 129 When I joined and 6'4" and 169 when I retired. Never was a Problem for me.
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I HAD A BODY BUILDER IN MY UNIT THIS GUY WAS SOLID MUSCLE BUT DUE TO THE BMI REGULATIONS HE WAS CONSIDERED OVER WEIGHT
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All I can say is I've run a 4:20 mile & 15:15 min 3.3 mile cross country course all the while failing the tape test. Got a 300 on every PT test in the service. I set a course record in running at every station I was at and then waited for all the guys that "passed" the height/weight test to saunter in...I always thought it was funny actually.
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PO2 Jonathan Scharff
SCPO Eddie Wilson 7:51 is not too shabby for a 1.5! My point was I did this while failing the height weight test. Makes you wonder how well it measures fitness. Back in the day I am pretty confident to say that I could out run 99% of the guys I served with...most of which easily "passed" the weight test. My mother always said I was "thick" for a runner. Lol
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