It used to be that to determine how fat a person was one took calipers and took anywhere from three to seven measurements of the body, came up with a total, and looked at a chart that took age into account to come up with a number for body fat percentage. That might take a few minutes or a little longer if you did as recommended and checked it twice to make sure.
Now BMI is the preferred measurement. Take weight and height and look at a chart – you’re done, let’s golf.
In his prime fighting weight Mike Tyson was 5’10’ and 220 pounds. According to BMI charts Mike's BMI of 31.6 would classify Mike as clinically obese. BMI is wildly inaccurate. Why is it used? It is easy, that is why. It takes few seconds instead of a few minutes. What is worse, researchers base studies on the BMI.
In the interest of science and saving time I propose another measurement for determining fat percentage. I call it eyeballing. Just look at the subject and say you are fat, skinny, or just right. It would be at least as accurate as BMI. Mike Tyson (pictured here) would be obese according to the BMI method. According to my eyeballing method I would say he is just right. Now which method would you say is more accurate?
In one study Can You Tell If Your Child Is Overweight? Most Parents Can't, Study Finds the parents are apparently using the eyeball method and it differs from the BMI result. What to do to break the tie? Perhaps use the magic eight ball to supply an answer. IMO it iwould be every bit as scientific as the BMI.
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