Why is the emphasis always on losing weight..should it not be fat?

Question

Everywhere you look you are told that it's bad to be over weight as defined by these body mass index charts...Why are we not told to reduce fat instead of weight? Anybody with a reasonable muscle mass is going to be technically over weight even if their body fat percentage is low.

Answer 1

That just shows that BMI is a very imprecise measure - I've heard that all sorts of people from Jonah Lomu to George Clooney are "overweight" according to their BMI.

In fact, a better indicator of health prognosis is simple waist measurement (or difference between waist and chest) - it certainly correlates better with diabetes and heart disease than BMI does.

Answer 2

If you weigh 20 stone and tried to replace that with muscle you might have a bit of an uphill struggle!
You are constantly told that its bad to be overweight because it has been proved beyond doub that it is. You are prone to all sorts of health problems and are at a significant risk of dying young when you are overweight.
But when it comes down to it, its personal choice. I am fat, I am chosing to lose weight. I believe that by doing so I am increasing my chance of a longer and healthier life.
BMI isn't the be all and end all, even some of the experts are questioning its validity as it can falesly label people as overweight who are in fact just muscular.

Answer 3

I agree with you ..your totally right its fat we want to lose..everything I have read about BMI charts indicates that it is at best unreliable at worst down right wrong...We need more clear guide lines about fat loss as by all accounts the more affluent nations are becoming dangerously obese.

Answer 4

Yes, because it is fat that we want to loose and not weight as in water or muscle.

Answer 5

Very good point I agree! :-) Might stop some anorexia and obsession with scales!