BMI for those who exercise

[Oldgixxer]

I see a handful of doctors besides my PCP; all of them have my BMI listed as obese(including my PCP).

According to their charts,at 5'7" 200lbs my BMI is 31. Even though the Dr's can clearly see I am anything but obese,they insist on documenting me as such which pisses me off. It's listed w a red flag on my info when they pull up my chart on the computer during an office visit/exam. It's listed in my patient portal. Memorial Healthcare,the network down here that some of the Dr's we visit regularly belong to, sends me pamphlets on obesity and how to overcome it,etc.

I receive regular pep-talk letters from our health insurance provider (Cigna) listing weight loss doctors,nutrition experts,links on how living an obese lifestyle is unhealthy,costs the healthcare industry billions,tips on how to lose weight and how to exercise.

Are you fucking kidding me? How is it that I'm obese yet have ab's? I always bitch to them how they really need to make a note in my chart,maybe an asterisk/side note that "patient is athletic and BMI is not accurate.
Nope. They won't do it. Have to adhere to their systems classification.

This happen to anyone else here? It's aggravating as hell.

Rant over

[TR930]

Just a consequence of working out. BMI charts are for average people. Average people do not build muscle mass over their norm.

[Redd]

BMI is an insurance scam.

http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/9806/1...ht.guidelines/

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by Redd

BMI is an insurance scam.

http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/9806/1...ht.guidelines/

That's a very interesting read,thank you for that link. Makes zero sense to ignore an individuals overall weight/body-type and group everyone together en mass,it's idiotic.

I'm by no means in perfect health(heart condition,etc)however obesity is not an issue at this time.

[Mason Hatcher]

What is your body fat percentage?

[Oldgixxer]

I'd say 10-12%

[M_Six]

Can't your PCP do a pinch test to determine body fat instead of using BMI?

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Can't your PCP do a pinch test to determine body fat instead of using BMI?

Im sure all of my doctors could,but you really think a pinch test is necessary to determine Im not obese??

I stay lean year round

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

Im sure all of my doctors could,but you really think a pinch test is necessary to determine Im not obese??

I stay lean year round

If your PCP thinks that's obese, you need to find a new PCP.

[heitzke]

lol exact same boat here. 5'8" and I float around the mid-high 190's these days.

My PCP always looks at the BMI, back at the chart, back at me and are like "obviously you exercise and are taking care of yourself" and we just move on.

I am curious on the future insurance implications of using such a biased and inaccurate measure though.

[M_Six]

I'm 6'3" and my BMI range is 148-199. I've been the same height since early high school days and back then I was about 170 and if I turned sideways and stuck out my tongue, I looked like a zipper. Skinny as a rail, and that was at 170. If I weighed 148, it would be ok with the BMI scale, but I have to think you would be able to see every bone in my body. When I was in the army, my weight was right around 200. At that weight, I was bordering on overweight according to BMI. I can't how being super skinny is healthier than having a few extra pounds you can stand to lose if you get sick.

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by M_Six

If your PCP thinks that's obese, you need to find a new PCP.

Yeah tell me about it. Took me 3mos to find this one as we're new to the area and "The Dr is not taking new patients at this time" is what I heard over and over again. I was just trying to have continuation of care and its damn near impossible

Originally Posted by heitzke

I am curious on the future insurance implications of using such a biased and inaccurate measure though.

Exactly. Thats why I think they should at least make a note under the BMI that states that its an inaccurate measure due to being athletic or what-have-you. God forbid I get hurt or have to stop training/dieting and I gain some fat, they'd see my chart history saying "obese" for the past 10yrs or so and be on the phone w Dr.Now from My 600lb Life lol.

Doesnt help that Im 52 either,I get the phone calls from Cigna saying,"at your age obesity is a major concern.

Heres a pic of one of my charts so y'all know I'm not BS'ing
Ignore the blood pressure,I get extremely anxious at the Dr's

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I'm 6'3" and my BMI range is 148-199. I've been the same height since early high school days and back then I was about 170 and if I turned sideways and stuck out my tongue, I looked like a zipper. Skinny as a rail, and that was at 170. If I weighed 148, it would be ok with the BMI scale, but I have to think you would be able to see every bone in my body. When I was in the army, my weight was right around 200. At that weight, I was bordering on overweight according to BMI. I can't how being super skinny is healthier than having a few extra pounds you can stand to lose if you get sick.

They should exam each person as an individual and base their assessment on how you look and feel overall not just a broad range. I just can't see how you were in the Army with all the physically demanding activity on a daily basis and their chart is saying you're borderline overweight at 6'2" 200lbs smh

[Gregrobin]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

Ignore the blood pressure,I get extremely anxious at the Dr's

I have the same white coat phobia/hypertension, and I hate it. Mine is 120's over 70's at home, 150+ over 90+ at a Dr's office.

I am 6'3" 200lbs, 55 years old, non smoker, 6 pack abs, everyone says I am skinny. I play tennis 2-3 times a week, work out, eat healthy, yet I score as obese on the stupid BMI. My work health insurance says I am a risk because of my BMI; ridiculous.

[EnVe46]

Similar thing with me but Im 5'9 195. Im also in insurance and can tell you that insurance companies do NOT read BMI if there is no other associated illnesses, like high blood pressure, unless you're h/w is above a certain point. For instance, if you're 5'7 and weighed 280, your BMI would be a point of concern. Or if you had elevated blood pressure. My life insurance came back at the lowest rating despite elevated BMI. Its a reference point but by no means a rating factor. So much misinformation on that...

I have an ENT that I get auto messages from about it, it certainly is annoying. But, my blood pressure is consistently 110-120/65-75. Understand that Dr's use these computerized charts to make information easier accessible and they aren't always as productive as we would all hope. This is one of those flaws

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by Gregrobin

I have the same white coat phobia/hypertension, and I hate it. Mine is 120's over 70's at home, 150+ over 90+ at a Dr's office.

I am 6'3" 200lbs, 55 years old, non smoker, 6 pack abs, everyone says I am skinny. I play tennis 2-3 times a week, work out, eat healthy, yet I score as obese on the stupid BMI. My work health insurance says I am a risk because of my BMI; ridiculous.

Ridiculous!!

I see I'm not the only one,I feel a lil better now since you all shared similar experiences.


Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by EnVe46

Similar thing with me but Im 5'9 195. Im also in insurance and can tell you that insurance companies do NOT read BMI if there is no other associated illnesses, like high blood pressure, unless you're h/w is above a certain point. For instance, if you're 5'7 and weighed 280, your BMI would be a point of concern. Or if you had elevated blood pressure. My life insurance came back at the lowest rating despite elevated BMI. Its a reference point but by no means a rating factor. So much misinformation on that...

I have an ENT that I get auto messages from about it, it certainly is annoying. But, my blood pressure is consistently 110-120/65-75. Understand that Dr's use these computerized charts to make information easier accessible and they aren't always as productive as we would all hope. This is one of those flaws

I do have a heart condition,had a stent put in and take BP meds. But the meds keep it all under control(unless Im at the cardiologists office of all places lol)except when I get anxious.

But thats great info,I'm glad you shed some light on it from an insiders perspective,thank you!!

[EnVe46]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

I do have a heart condition,had a stent put in and take BP meds. But the meds keep it all under control(unless Im at the cardiologists office of all places lol)except when I get anxious.

But thats great info,I'm glad you shed some light on it from an insiders perspective,thank you!!

Absolutely. I know insurance and health care are such a pain-in-the-ass subject so happy to help. Been doing this for 12.5 years so Ive seen it all hahaha

I asked our head underwriter on the BMI thing a few years ago and that's where I learned how they use it.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Gregrobin

I have the same white coat phobia/hypertension, and I hate it. Mine is 120's over 70's at home, 150+ over 90+ at a Dr's office.

I am 6'3" 200lbs, 55 years old, non smoker, 6 pack abs, everyone says I am skinny. I play tennis 2-3 times a week, work out, eat healthy, yet I score as obese on the stupid BMI. My work health insurance says I am a risk because of my BMI; ridiculous.

6' 3" and 200lbs is "overweight" (barely) according to BMI. Not obese. I'm also 6'3" and 220lbs and I'm considered overweight, which to a certain extent is true in my case. I could stand to lose 20lbs or so.

[Gregrobin]

I was having some gut issues a year ago and changed my diet based on a natural medicine doctors recommendations and some tests. I dropped to 175 in about 3 months. You could see my ribs I got so skinny. I felt good though.

Fast forward a year, gut issues have improved and I am up to 200lbs, again <sigh>

[tcphoto]

The system can be quite antiquated, did he have you watch the STD movie afterwards?

[Dlpfcb]

BMI is mostly taking Into account weight and height. I will say the stats though are way off of average low and high now. Think of it as what's average? Over half the country is obese so I could have an average bmi but that means im over weight.

Let's use the OPs chart as an example he's 5'7" and 195 but you can all see its muscle mass making his BMI a 30+. Is a 30+ bmi considered bad, yes it is but it doesn't take into account his extra weight is muscle and not fat. I'm the exact same height as the OP at 5'7" and I have a BMI of 18-19 and weigh only 120 pounds. Some may think that's crazy skinny, yes it is but I also run 80 miles a week so I am lean with minimal fat. I would be classified as within a healthy BMI based on doctors terms but as long as it's healthy weight like the OP there is really no difference between the OP and I besides what we are targeting to do. He is targeting to build bulk and muscle while I will always be lean with the sheer mileage I run each week.