- Author Varisha Tariq says BMI has never been an accurate measure of her health status.
- Exercise experts believe it’s better to be “fat and healthy” than “skinny and flabby”
Being slim is often used as an indicator of health and fitness.
But researchers this week cast scorn on that idea, warning that a quarter of middle-aged British women who are obese according to BMI are actually healthy.
Researchers said this group, along with 10% of obese men in the UK, fell into the ‘healthy but overweight’ category, meaning they had no weight-related diseases.
A wave of overweight fitness influencers have long been spreading the word that being big doesn’t prevent you from being just as fit and healthy as a smaller person.
Plus-size gym goers told MailOnline that BMI does not work as a measure of health for everyone and people can become obese despite living a “healthy and active lifestyle”. He said it was sexual.
Some experts say weight is “not a major consideration” when determining a person’s health, and that it is better to be “fat and healthy” than “skinny and flabby.” ing.
Obesity can lead to a variety of life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease, fatty liver, and kidney problems.
BMI is the most widely used indicator of whether someone falls into this category. It is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared.
However, doctors have long warned about the lack of BMI, and BMI has received increased attention in recent years.
For example, we can’t tell if you’re heavier than average for your height because of excess muscle or fat. This shows that his BMI score is the same for a rugby player and a couch potato of the same height and weight.
London-based author Varisha Tariq has a BMI of “obese.”
The 26-year-old said she has been working out since she was 12 and enjoys going to the gym because of the “joy and adrenaline” it gives her.
Tariq, who weighs 15th at 2 pounds (95 kg) and is 5 feet 5 (165 cm) tall, doesn’t think his weight is a hindrance to his health.
According to a recent medical exam, she has no health problems related to her weight, always walks 10,000 steps a day, cooks from scratch most days, and says,Her body is at peace and happy. “I lead an active and healthy lifestyle,” Tariq said.
As a result, she believes that BMI is not a good indicator of health.
“This is the worst and should not be part of the health and medical system,” she said.
“The science behind it wasn’t made for weight loss… In my case, it wasn’t a healthy measure of my health.”
There are many fitness influencers who preach body positivity and size inclusion in sports and health.
Mirna Valerio (@themirnavator), who describes herself as “fat” to her 160,000 followers on Instagram, said the BMI is “unreliable” and “doesn’t tell us much about a person’s health. “We are just starting to talk about the possibilities.”
Avid runner, writing women’s runningsaid that her high level of physical activity means she is able to maintain a “pretty healthy lifestyle”.
She says her blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are all normal, although she says she “still has a ways to go” to reach optimal fitness.
Alexia (@curvylexie28), a plus-size influencer with 39.9K followers on Instagram, challenges “harmful stereotypes and fatphobia.”
The fitness enthusiast believes that “health is not determined by body size” and claims that many plus-size people prioritize their health through regular exercise and nutrition. I am.
Personal trainer Louise Green (@louisegreen_bigfitgirl), who has 65.7K followers on Instagram, wants to make athletics size inclusive, saying, “Size and weight are just arbitrary numbers.” “There is,” he claims.
Influencers who post body-positive messages and gym workouts want to challenge the assumption that bigger people are less capable.
Dr Mark Homer, an exercise physiologist at Buckinghamshire New University, echoed their claims.he said times Weight “is not the primary consideration when assessing a person’s health.”
“Exercise will help improve long-term and short-term outcomes for most people,” he said. It’s better to be fat and healthy than thin and unhealthy. ”
Just being thin does not guarantee health. A series of studies have linked lack of exercise to his type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and even early death.
A sedentary lifestyle is thought to slow down your metabolism, affecting your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure and break down body fat.
Nevertheless, the “fat and healthy” phenomenon remains controversial due to various health issues related to weight.
The NHS is urging people who are overweight or obese to strive to achieve a healthier weight.
The report advises obese people to keep their weight loss at 5% of their body weight to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
According to the NHS, adults should also do at least some physical activity every day. Even exercising just once or twice a week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
