The New BMI (Body Mass Index)?

Leave it to a professor from the University of Nevada, Reno to come up with a new system for figuring out what a person's healthy and optimal weight should be. For decades, literally, people have calculated their optimal weight using the Body Mass Index (BMI) which uses height and weight to calculate an estimate of their body fat. However, it isn't an exact science, but more a tool to find out where you should be as far as weight and BMI are concerned according to your height.

For instance, I weigh 213 pounds and I'm 5'6". My current BMI is 34.4, well above the healthy range for a person my height. The healthy BMI range is 18.5 to 24.9. My goal of weighing 150 pounds puts me right into that healthy BMI range with a 24.2. I thought these numbers were a bit strange, however, because when I calculated my range the BMI said I could be as low as 114 lbs or as high as 156 lbs and still be considered healthy. No offense to the BMI, but if I was 114 lbs then I would be in danger of looking like I had an eating disorder.

So, those discrepancies are exactly what sparked George Fernandez, a professor of applied statistics and director of the Center for Research Design and Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno to reevaluate the BMI system and find a new, better way to determine one's Max Weight Limit (MWL). For the entire press release, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/uonr-npd091809.php, otherwise, here is a primer.

Fernandez says every person, male or female, has an optimal max weight limit. Furthermore, that number can be determined using basic algebra. He says that there is a baseline height for males and females that can be used to determine the optimal weight; for males it is 5'9" and for females it is 5'0". Also, for men the base weight is 175 lbs and for women it is 125 lbs. For each inch off the baseline height, add or subtract five pounds. When you calculate your height with the additional or subtracted weight, then that is your Max Weight Limit.

I am 5'6", so I am 6 inches above the 5' standard. For each of the extra 6 inches, I add 5 pounds for each inch, so an additional 30 pounds can be added to the base weight of 125 lbs. According to Fernandez's method, I can weigh up to 155 lbs (125+30) and still be considered healthy.

For me, it seems this method turns out alright since it appears to line up really well with the BMI calculations. However, I heard about this when I was listening to Mark & Mercedes in the Morning on Mix 94.1, and there were men calling in to talk about what their optimal weight was and it seemed to be very low for a healthy, strong man. If I remember correctly, one man weighed around 230 lbs at about 6'4" and was considered to be in great shape, but he's more than 20 lbs heavier than Fernandez's study recommends.

I guess this just means that it's not an exact science either! Maybe the best way to determine whether someone is at a healthy weight or not is to actually be healthy. Eating healthy, exercising and getting the recommended physicals at the doctor is definitely one of the most effective ways to keep in shape.