Dwight Howard is Fat, But Gronk is Obese
Does Dwight Howard look fat to you? BMI = 27
Why is BMI deceptive?
BMI is calculated using only two data metrics,
height and mass. It completely ignores body composition – the amount of muscle vs.
fat in one’s body -- which is a much truer barometer of fitness. That’s why Dwight
and Gronk are classified as overweight and obese according to charts.
Muscle mass is unaccounted for on a BMI chart. Even age and gender aren’t part of
the calculation.
Despite this, respected physicians and other medical professionals use this
metric to label perfectly normal people as overweight or obese.
BMI - What's it good for?
While Body Mass Index (BMI) can sometimes give you a general idea of your health,
it penalizes people for being fit.
Look at this picture of pro basketball player, Dwight Howard (left)
Although he may look like Superman – indeed his nickname is Superman --
at 6' 11", 265 pounds he has a Body Mass Index of 27 which according to standard
BMI charts is considered overweight.
It’s even worse for poor Rob Gronkowski (right). At 6’ 6”, 265 pounds Gronk’s BMI
is 30.6. Despite being built like a Greek God, BMI charts say he is obese.
Similarly, boxer Manny Pacquiao (5’ 6.5”, 113)
and actress Meghan Fox (5’ 6”, 114) are treated exactly the same, both
being considered underweight.
Does Rob Gronkowski look obese to you? BMI = 30.6
Conclusion
To be sure, many people with a high body mass index are indeed obese.
But just about any pro athlete will also be classified as overweight.
Most of us are somewhere in between. Many health and wellness industry
professionals have suggested that BMI should be abandoned as a measure of
fitness especially as it relates to public or private health policy.
This is why Fitpacking doesn't measure BMI or use it as a metric to determine your
health or fitness level.
Back to top