[barrell]

Most people you see at a gym will probably be classified as 'overweight'. The fact of the matter is muscle is counted against you in BMI, and it takes very little to cross into the 'overweight' threshold. I would have to cut down to around 12% or lower body fat to be considered 'healthy', and I'm far from jacked.

1. Being sub 12% body fat (the highest BMI that would be considered healthy) is arguably unhealthy in and of it's own

2. Being on the low end of healthy would be, if my math serves me, -2.5% body fat

3. BMI does not distinguish between unhealthy / overweight, and fit / healthy (which should be the primary goal of such a metric?)

4. BMI aligns the best outcomes with those that will minimize muscle mass

It's not that BMI does not have it's place, but let's call a spade a spade.

[tekla]

99.99% of people BMI works just fine. As it turns out, most people in the western world are fat.

The musclebound people literally do not care about BMI because its irrelevant to them. Almost everyone else, should probably start eating less.

[wombat-man]

>Being sub 12% body fat (the highest BMI that would be considered healthy) is arguably unhealthy in and of it's own

12% body fat isn't a BMI, what are you trying to say?

BMI is not supposed to bucket you into healthy or unhealthy. It is a ratio of your weight to height. You're right that there are a lot of people who are overweight but are perfectly healthy. I think your problem is that you're viewing BMI as some kind of blanket good or bad health number. It is what it is, and it's just one aspect of your physical health, which you probably shouldn't be trying to capture in a single number anyway.

Go get a physical exam from a doctor if you want something comprehensive. If you just want a general height/weight ratio, BMI is pretty good for most people.

[alvah]

>12% body fat isn't a BMI, what are you trying to say?

it seems likely parent is talking about his* required body fat to be considered in the "healthy" BMI range (under 25 for males).

[mcculley]

Most people don’t go to a gym.

[Kranar]

I think you have a misguided idea that most people at the gym are buff, muscular, etc...

This couldn't be further from the truth.

[mcculley]

> Being sub 12% body fat (…) is arguably unhealthy in and of its own

How so? A couple years ago I was at 10% and running a ½ marathon three times a week. I felt pretty healthy.