“Re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem, and have the richest fluency, not only in words, but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes, and in every motion and joint in your body.” - Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass In my previous rant, based from history and well-documented research, we determined that Body Mass Index (BMI) is simply an outdated measure of how an individual’s height and weight ratio “norms” within all human beings. Although, I will give props where it is due: the BMI does have a benefit of screening within a large population as Mr. Quetelet had originally intended for this formula and as scientist Ancel Keys reiterated this key aspect in the early 1970’s (Read about HERE). However, referring to my previous argument, solely basing health by BMI measurements will, as Swainson contended “fall short in identifying those at an increased risk of associated conditions, in particular cardio metabolic diseases” [10]. So let’s discuss a few common methods of measuring our weight and body fat.
Alternatives to BMI Let’s discuss a few common methods of measuring our weight and body fat:
According to Leeds Beckett University, “Calculating a person's waist-to-height ratio is the most accurate and efficient way of identifying whether or not they are at risk of obesity in clinical practice, a new study...shows” (2017). However, Leeds Beckett University did also share the limitations to calculating a person’s WHtR “was found to be a very poor predictor of obesity according to both measures”. [8]
I should state that I have a personal bias against this form of measurement; I, personally have not had this done, but I have spoken to a handful of women who have had this procedure done in the gym, all of which were incredibly disappointed in the very shallow results. Let me not get started on how this form of measurement does not differentiate between brown or yellow fat (Waaaay too much to cover there, that’s another rant). I wanted to use a direct quote from a friend I interviewed who would like to be kept anonymous: "To have someone pinch the excess skin folds throughout your body and then to hear your fate 'You are obese'... it was humiliating".
If you’re strongly considering losing weight and absolutely need a method of measuring of body fat, all of these should be considered. It can help! To have empirical and tangible data of your own body. It can motivate! To see that number decrease over time. Trust me, I have been there and relate 100%. But do you know where else I have been? 20 lbs from my goal weight and chillin' at a plateau of 150 lbs. I wanted so desperately to be at least 149, I NEEDED to get out of the 150’s. Or stuck at a BMI of 30 a.k.a OBESE still, my waist circumference remained stagnant, even my BIA results had not changed - and I was left feeling deflated. Stick with me as I’m getting to my point here: Why are we still using these forms of measuring body fat? We utilize these many forms of measurements as determinant of health and weight and all seem to have their flaws. Not flaw(s), FLAW: all do not consider all aspects of a person, their body, their heritage and background. In these forms of measurement's defense, it's an impossible task as one form could not consider ALL aspects. Remember each human is a unique and individual snowflake. We have these measurements in place as a general guideline, as determinants of the general population, but think about it -- does the world use these as a ‘general guideline’? Humans have a silly way of holding onto habits, holding onto an idea, onto people…. Ah, comfort-ability! That’s the right word. We love where we are here, because that is what we know, that’s all we have ever known in our little bubbles, and we’ve made it this far, right? We’re okay., right? Or has the world become comfortable with these guidelines, relying on them as rules of thumb, as 100% accurate, as 100% applicable to all. Has anyone stopped to ask a few things: Why are we putting such heavy emphasis on numbers? Are we putting this focus in the wrong place? And a major question: Is there an ideal body weight? Questions we will delve into in my next post. I end my rant today with a quote from Linda Bacon, the author of Body Respect: “Our culture perpetuates the anti-fat myths that keep people depressed and at war with their own bodies… it also reinforces the message that they - not the size-stigmatizing culture - are the problem."[1]
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