No such thing as 'fat but fit'

diamount · 17 May 2017 at 14:26

Terminal_Boy said:
Exactly. Professional rugby players and infantry soldiers are often classed as obese going by their BMI scores.

BMI is not a gauge for athletes.

Greebo · 17 May 2017 at 14:28

Vonhelmet said:
Bmi is nonsense. My bmi says I'm overweight... yeah, with my 30" waist. Gtfo. Blame my humongous cycling thighs and broad shoulders.

Fit but fat is a dubious concept, but better that than unfit and fat and inactive.

WOuld be interesting to see if "fat but fit" is healthier than "not fat but unfit"?

MikeTheNative · 17 May 2017 at 14:28

diamount said:
BMI is not a gauge for athletes.

100% this.
It's a good way for a doctor to show a coach potato that they are overweight. A doctor will not tell a guy at sub 15% body fat to lose weight because their BMI is too high.

Greebo · 17 May 2017 at 14:28

diamount said:
BMI is not a gauge for athletes.

But it is in this study since the only metric they looked at was BMI.

CREATIVE!11 · 17 May 2017 at 14:28

Fat or fit.

Pick one.

Vonhelmet · 17 May 2017 at 14:30

Bmi makes sense for populations, not individuals. It might work for a study of lots of people, but not be applicable for one person on their own.

cheesyboy · 17 May 2017 at 14:35

What are people who point out that 'BMI says bobybuilders are obese' trying to make?

I can't see what you're bringing to the table. What are you adding?

MikeTheNative · 17 May 2017 at 14:40

cheesyboy said:
What are people who point out that 'BMI says bobybuilders are obese' trying to make?

I can't see what you're bringing to the table. What are you adding?

Justifying themselves being overweight on the BMI scale.

LiE · 17 May 2017 at 14:42

LOLBMI nuff said.

cheesyboy · 17 May 2017 at 14:47

MikeTheNative said:
Justifying themselves being overweight on the BMI scale.

I kind of think it's more about looking clever. Without realising you just come across as really dull - and oblivious to it.

Greebo · 17 May 2017 at 14:49

cheesyboy said:
What are people who point out that 'BMI says bobybuilders are obese' trying to make?

I can't see what you're bringing to the table. What are you adding?

That fact that doing a study and basing it on people with a BMI over 30 is flawed if you then are saying you cant be fat and fit.

But there is a very good chance that people who have low fat and still have a BMI over 30 still die younger anyway. shrugs.

Greebo · 17 May 2017 at 14:51

MikeTheNative said:
Justifying themselves being overweight on the BMI scale.

When I am at my ideal weight I look ill and look anorexic. Last time I was bang in the middle of BMI index I had a size 26 waist which is ridiculous

cheesyboy · 17 May 2017 at 14:52

Greebo said:
That fact that doing a study and basing it on people with a BMI over 30 is flawed if you then are saying you cant be fat and fit.

But there is a very good chance that people who have low fat and still have a BMI over 30 still die younger anyway. shrugs.

But the report acknowledges this - so what's the problem?

And, despite this huge number of uber-fit bodybuilders (who are, of course, not a group associated with heart problems.....) apparently skewing statistics away from the hypothesis, the evidence still suggests being fat is bad for you whatever your fitness. So it seems pretty robust.

cheesyboy · 17 May 2017 at 14:54

Greebo said:
When I am at my ideal weight I look ill and look anorexic. Last time I was bang in the middle of BMI index I had a size 26 waist which is ridiculous

You must be very small. Are you a chimney sweep by trade?

I've a 32" waist and am BMI ~22.5, which is about in the middle. And A lot of people seem to think I'm skinny (I'm not - they're just all fat)

Vanquish-Storm · 17 May 2017 at 15:13

cheesyboy said:
What are people who point out that 'BMI says bobybuilders are obese' trying to make?

I can't see what you're bringing to the table. What are you adding?

MikeTheNative said:
Justifying themselves being overweight on the BMI scale.

Well the title thread is "No such thing as 'fat but fit' where as you can be obese on the BMI scale but still be "fit"

ChrisD. · 17 May 2017 at 15:16

A mate of mine has a beer belly, which by definition is fat. Yes he's a triathlete and would put a lot of people to shame.

krooton · 17 May 2017 at 15:22

cheesyboy said:
You must be very small. Are you a chimney sweep by trade?

I've a 32" waist and am BMI ~22.5, which is about in the middle. And A lot of people seem to think I'm skinny (I'm not - they're just all fat)

5'11" with 32" waist, but 25 BMI.

I'm definitely not cut, but very slim too, so maybe I have dense bones?

MikeTheNative · 17 May 2017 at 15:28

Vanquish-Storm said:
Well the title thread is "No such thing as 'fat but fit' where as you can be obese on the BMI scale but still be "fit"

The thread title is misleading, the article talks about obese people being more likely to have heart disease. Which is why it 'fit', it's not out about cardio vascular endurance and being fat.

ebilcake · 17 May 2017 at 15:32

So basically being slim and unfit more healthy than being overweight and fit.

Who knew!

Arazi · 17 May 2017 at 15:55

Where do Sumo Wrestlers fall in this topic?