BMI is well low. shood i be worried?!


Question: BMI is well low. shood i be worried.?
well my BMI is 16.6
and it says that if it's below 18. yur under weight :S:S

im 5 ft 5
and from 95-103 pounds-ish

i eat plenty of fruit, i dont eat meat thoo.
but i just don't gain weight.

any advice.?
(:

XXHealth Question & Answer


Answers:
Hi hun,

No don't worry about this at all.

First of all the BMI is an absolute waste of time, it is completely innaccurate. First of all it doesn't take into account your somatotype (body shape), bone density, muscle mass or ethnic differences; so at best it can only ever be a rough guess.

Body fat percentage is much, much more accurate, as this only measures the ammount of adipose tissue (body fat) that you have and nothing else. The reccomended amount in healthy adult women is 20 - 25%, (womens are higher than mens) with athletes or very fit womens levels expected to be between 16 - 20%.

I would also guess (since obviously I haven't seen you) that you are an ectomorph body shape (i.e slim and lean), and this somatotype naturally has lower body fat percentages and lean muscle tissue with more slow twitch muscle fibres.

I would also say as a young (almost 17 year old) woman, your percentage will be lower than the adult average anyway. You are basically perfectly within the healthy levels for your age hun! ;D

To give you another example, according to the BMI I am clinically obese because I'm 16 stone, yet I only have 14% body fat. Most of my weight comes from muscle, so don't listen to the BMI! ;D

You do need to make sure you are getting enough protien and nutrients in your diet though, especially since you dont eat meat. Each meal (apart from breakfast which should preferably be fibre rich), should contain a balanced ammount of carbohydrates for energy, (from potatoes, rice and pasta, etc) protien (from fish, chicken, occassional red meat is fine, soya is good too) and plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (simple fresh fruit and veg).

For vegetarians who don't eat meat, protien can be gained from blanched peanuts, soya, dark green veg like cabbage, etc.Health Question & Answer

They say healthy BMI is 18-25. If you're not eating meat you may not be getting enough protein, so you may need to eat more protein-rich foods. Foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, vegetable protein foods and soya products all contain protein. Maybe try eating more healthy carbs too like brown rice or wholemeal bread. And dried fruit has a lot of calories in it so maybe try snacking on dried banana chips or raisins to see if that increases your weight.

BUT if you're still worried it's always best to check with your doctor, just to make sure there's no medical reason for you not gaining weight (I'm guessing there prob isn't though so don't worry)

Yeah, 12% bodyfat is a bit low, it should be closer to 20%Health Question & Answer

A BMI below 18.5 is underweight unless you are a child or young teen.

As for 12% body fat, I'm doubtful that's correct because low body fat is more due to being very muscular than too skinny. Your issue is probably more lack of muscle.

You need to eat more protein and do strength training to build muscle. If you don't eat meat then find vegetarian alternatives such as eggs, fish, soya mince, beans, nuts, etc.Health Question & Answer

protein...your body should consume about 80% of your body weight in grams of protein. This helps create a positive nitrogen balance and keeps you gaining lean body mass...make sure you're exercising regularly. Great sources of protein is fish. Eat fish that are high in protein, high in omega-3 fatty acids, and low in mercury. salmon is excellent. also chicken is good for protein. Dont' be afraid to take a whey protein supplement either (you won't bulk up). Whey contains the highest and most effective amounts of BCAAs.Health Question & Answer

If your dieting then you may have an eating disorder.
If you look too skinny (bony, no periods) then you could be ill and should visit the GP
If you look normal it could just be your body, i know someone who is 5'3 and 90lbs, they should be very underweight, but they look just like anyone else body, they are just small framed and have a high metabolism.

Visit the doctor and he will be able to tell x x xHealth Question & Answer

You are technically underweight, but if it does actually bother you that much, just start to eat more proper food, not fruit.

That being said, I know a few girls that used to be like that and know they're just normal, to be honest, I wouldn't put too much thought into it.Health Question & Answer

fruit is not going to help you gain weight, you need things with fat and lots of calories in it. ie ... nuts , cereal , chicpeaas, pulses, granola , pasta , rice, with creamy sauces.. and some chocolate...

honey you are very underweight
please follow my advise
xHealth Question & Answer

How old are you.?

If you're over 21, go and see your doctor. It may be you have nothing to worry about but they will know and be able to give you advice.Health Question & Answer

bmi is well below shud u be worried YES and eat food u'll gain weight otherwise this will complicate things if u get ill.. eating fruit alone will not help ..advice stop silly dieting or be prepared to deal with the consequencesHealth Question & Answer

As long as your healthy- I'd say your fine. You might want to talk to a nutritionist or your doctor to make sure your good.Health Question & Answer

yes you should. you dont want to get old without having the chance of having a baby.Health Question & Answer



The consumer health information on youqa.cn is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2012 YouQA.cn -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Q&A Resources