Is the BMI fatphobic?

CrowdScience

BBC

Science, Technology

4.8 • 985 Ratings

🗓️ 15 March 2024

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Crowd Science listener Maik wants to know what the BMI is and what his BMI score says about his body. He trains dogs for a living and wonders if, like different breeds of dog, we simply have different body types? Marnie Chesterton comes up with some answers, talking to doctors about how the BMI is used and misused in clinical practice, and looks at some alternative methods for measuring our body composition. She also sits down with philosopher Kate Manne to discuss the realities of living in a fat-phobic world. We hear from Tonga in the South Pacific, where high BMI scores have labelled the country highly obese. But this is not necessarily how Tongans see themselves. And Marnie finds out if the BMI will continue to be used across the world as an important health marker or whether it is destined for the scrap heap of medical history. Contributors: Professor Kate Manne Dr Francesco Rubino Dr Naveed Sattar Professor Brendon Noble Technician Leah Siegel Fononga Pulu Sela Latailakepa Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Richard Walker Editor: Cathy Edwards Production co-ordinator: Connor Morgans Studio manager: Emma Harth

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of
0:07.0	Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.5	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:29.7	Richard, I'm in my bathroom. Are you in your bathroom? I'm in my bathroom, yeah. Okay, I need your numbers.
0:40.0	Okay, well I'm one meter 90 tall or six foot two. Okay, and have you got your scales?
0:47.0	I've got my scales here and it tells me that I am 94 kilos.
0:52.0	Okay, so... tells me that I am 94 kilos.
0:52.5	Okay.
0:54.0	So your 1.9 meters squared divided by 94 kilos gives you 26. Congratulations 26.
1:07.6	BMI of 26. Okay, let's do yours now. Okay, so, standing on, that's some kilos, mhm. It's 2.62, and then I divide that and it gives me 30 which was very brave of me.
1:26.5	Well done.
1:27.5	Welcome to Crowd Science from the BBC World Service. I'm Marnie Chesterton. That was me in my bathroom, my producer Richard in his,
1:38.0	armed with calculators, scales and tape measures because we were calculating a common measure of our body's health, the body
1:46.2	mass index or BMI.
1:48.7	And the reason, it's because of listener Mike in Germany.
1:51.8	Hi, my name is Mike Mueller and my question for crowds. because of
1:55.0	my listener Mike Mueller and my question for crowd science is
1:56.0	what does the BMI tell me about my health
	...

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