Recently the BMI (body mass index) method for determining your obesity level has become very popular. Actually, it’s so heavily relied upon as the standard that insurance companies may charge higher premiums for those with a high BMI. So does all your hard work using those quick weight loss programs, exercise DVDs, or personal trainers make a difference in lowering your score. Surprisingly, the answer is no.
The premise of the BMI formula uses your height in relationship to your weight to determine if you are underweight, ideal weight, overweight or obese. Let’s consider the origin of the BMI. It was developed in the early 19th century by a mathematician, not a physician, for a quick and easy way to calculate the obesity of the population. Think about that, how archaic to use this method with all the technological advancements we have today. Everything else has evolved, however the way we calculate something as important as our health remains the same.
The most obvious indicator of obesity, the waist size is ignored during the calculations. There is also no consideration of the amount of fat, muscle and body structure. So if you are a healthy and fit person who does P90X, Insanity, Chair-A-Cise or any of the other leading fitness programs or an elite trained athlete you are not given anymore consideration than a couch potato who hasn’t exercised in years if the two of you are the same weight and height. You can have a high BMI although you may only have a low percentage of body fat. (for more fitness tips visit www.chairacise.com )
Daryl Madison
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