BF or BMI

[Guest guest]

I got an answer from my Tae Bo list on the question about body fat and body mass....

BMI or Body Mass Index is not an exact measurement of your body fat percentage. So what is it? Its a calculated ratio based on weight in kilograms and height in meters squared. BMI is basically a general indication of how much fat you're carrying around......but it does not give you the EXACT percentage of your weight that comes from fat. Most health care professionals agree that a BMI between 20 - 25 is healthy. BMIs in the 27 - 30 range indicate that you may be at higher risk of developing some diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Remember that these numbers are not set in stone. You should realize that there is a lot of controversy over these numbers and the cut off points are a compromise of the committee that set the standards. Remember that there are a lot of people who fall outside these cutoff points and are very healthy. Most actresses tend to be on the low side while many athletes are on the high side. So, please take the BMI with a grain of salt. Its just a number that is a general indicator of your body fat. Please, please, please do not get obsessed with the numbers, okay? :)Now, as far as the body fat calculation that you did that gave you a 44.6% body fat percentage. I'm not exactly sure what the calculation was, but I would regard it with some suspicion if you've generally been in the 28 - 29 percent range when previously measured. Remember, all that is needed to calculate BMI is your height and weight Remember, though, body fat percentage can fluctuate based on the expertise of the person doing the measuring or your hydration status. The most accurate way to get your body fat measured is to get an underwater weighing. You can usually get it done fairly cheaply at a local university. If you have the chance, I'd really recommend it.