I just watched a story on NBC nightly news about how the BMI is about 200 years old and not a good way to measure if someone is at an unhealthy weight or not. They showed a picture of a woman who appeared to be slightly overweight, not in very good shape and overall not very healthy. The news caster stated, "This woman was told she was obese, which is shocking to many of us." I thought, "It is?" I have been realizing lately that societies view of what is a "healthy" body size, is actually quite different than what really IS healthy. Maybe it's because so many Americans struggle with weight issues that the accepted standard is shifting.
I have mentioned my friend Ellie before. She is tall (6 ft), and really very beautiful. She is also thin. It's genetic. Her grandmother was a model, with the typical model body. Her mother is very tall and thin as well. She was recently pulled aside by a coworker and asked if she has an eating disorder. She is one of the healthiest people I know. Thin? Yes. Eating disorder? No.
I have been heavy for a great deal of my life. I recently started eating healthier and getting in shape. This has resulted in my being smaller than I was a couple of months ago. I recently had a concerned coworker ask me if I am "being smart about how fast I am loosing weight" because I am getting too thin. Currently, I am obese. I am no where near too thin, and have not lost weight too quickly. I have made sure of it.
My same friend, Ellie, told me I look great (which I VERY much appreciated.) When I told her that I am still measuring in the "obese" range she was shocked. "How can that be?" she wondered. Despite her own body type, she admitted that her view of what is healthy is warped.
I think her question, combined with societies view of what is and is not healthy, is what the news report was getting at. There are better judges of ones health. There's a blood test that measures levels of a certain hormone (leptin.) There is a body scan that measures bone, muscle and fat density. These two test are FAR more accurate at determining who is truly "obese" and who is not.
All of this having been said, I think what it boils down to is this...
Ask yourself is you are really, truly a healthy eater. Do you REALLY get 5-7 servings of fresh veggies a day? Do you REALLY get 2-3 servings of fresh fruit a day? Do you really exercise regularly? Do you really regulate your sugar intake? Do you REALLY drink about 8 glasses of water a day? If you're in my age group or older, do you have regular doctor visits and get all the necessary tests? Do you know your cholesterol levels? How about blood pressure? Ever had a doctor you're at risk for developing type II diabetes? How's your muscle tone?
Chances are, you know if you are healthy. You know if you have some bad habits you should probably shake. You know, and you know you know.
So, all this drama over "is the BMI a legit way to determine who is obese and who is not" seems a little silly to me. Do you really need a chart to tell you? I bet not. I bet you are VERY aware if you are healthy, or if you are not. I do think that the BMI can give people a decent idea of where they are, in reality, when it comes simply to a height/weight ratio. And the other two tests are great wake up calls as well. But overall, I think many people are simply comfortable sitting in a quiet unwillingness to be honest with themselves, and they chose to ignore what is happening. I know I have done that, quite well actually, for a long time.The hard part in all of this is getting people to admit it, and then to do something about it.
Be honest with yourself. Be honest about whether or not you are willing to do what is needed to change, and then be ok with that choice. If you aren't ok with your decision, do what you need to do to ok with your reality and you conscience. Most of all, I hope you're able to love your body to health, not to death.
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