19
votes
Accepted
Why is BMI related to the square of height?
It turns out the answer to this is fairly simple, and but not terribly easy to find.
In the 1800s a Belgian named Adolphe Quetelet (1796–1874) performed some statistics on the weights and heights of ...
- 2,796
12
votes
Why is BMI related to the square of height?
BMI isn't a "real" thing, it's an arbitrary measure meant to capture some aspect of "overweightness". The exponent has traditionally been chosen as "2" because that ...
- 13.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Considering obesity using BMI
All models are wrong, but some are useful.
The same is true for the body mass index. In general, people with a higher BMI have a higher chance of getting obesity-related illnesses than those with a ...
- 286
5
votes
Is bmi a good indicator of health
BMI is absolutely NOT a good indicator of health. At least not on its own.
It is made up of two measurements only: height and weight. Height is a stable property, and a person cannot do anything ...
- 1,618
5
votes
How much would a man 9'6" (3m) tall likely weigh?
Consider this ideal weight calculator for example. For a 25 yo male with a height of 9'6'' (289 cm), the optimal weight should be around 342 - 462 pounds (155kg - 210kg).
By the way, the tallest man ...
- 485
5
votes
What is the error on various body fat percentages?
Frankenfield and colleagues [1] reported an immense variation between BMI and BFP below a BMI of 30 (obese, or 25% BFP in men and 30% in women according to the same study).
The r^2 value for ...
- 203
4
votes
Accepted
What is the error on various body fat percentages?
I don't know if there are canonical references for these measurements. I've found a couple references that seem good enough for an order-of-magnitude estimate, though.
Latour, A. W., Peterson, D. D., &...
- 13.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Values of Body Hydration Values to calibrate the readings of Galvanic skin response sensor
Skin becomes a better conductor of electricity in response to physiologically arousing stimuli which can be external or internal. Increased sweat increases skin conductivity. This is known as the Skin ...
- 6,124
3
votes
Is bmi a good indicator of health
In short: You can have a high BMI (weight in kg/height in m squared) due to:
Excessive fat
Large muscle mass developed by training
"Large frame size," which is genetic, and includes thick bones, ...
- 15.7k
2
votes
Considering obesity using BMI
Let's not conflate two different problems with BMI here. One the one hand you can have a low body fat percentage and still have a high BMI, but that only applies to body builders who exercise at a ...
- 2,230
2
votes
Why is BMI related to the square of height?
While the answers of Bob and Bryan are perfectly valid, let me attempt to provide some intuition from a physics/statistics standpoint.
Generally, when a quantity is proportional to some other quantity,...
- 31
2
votes
Accepted
Has anyone sucessfully gained weight?
1. You gain weight by consuming more calories than you spend (National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute).
2. If you just consume more calories and you do not start with resistance training, you will ...
- 15.7k
2
votes
Which kind of muscle has greatest resting metabolic rate; big muscle, or strong muscle?
Background:
Basal Metabolic Rate is the minimal rate of energy expenditure per unit time by endothermic animals at rest. Several BMR equations exist but the most notable one was the Harris-Benedict ...
- 1,084
1
vote
Accepted
Does excercise increase body mass?
Yes, although your success will depend on many factors. The best way to gain muscle mass is by lifting heavy weights. You will also need to make sure you eat enough, especially enough of protein.
How ...
- 26
1
vote
Considering obesity using BMI
As well as any other measurements it doesn't say much on it's own. You need to use it along with other personal details (and measurements) to get some meaning of it.
One of the problems with BMI is ...
- 261
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