BMI & WEIGHT FOR HEIGHT PERCENTAGES
What is BMI?
BMI stands for body mass index, it is a persons weight divided by height. It is used by clinicians to indicate a childs health in regards to their weight. it is an easy way to brand adults into weight catagories, underweight healthy am overweight. Often overweight" lables are associated with poorer health, but like most things statistical, its not an exact science so doesn't say much about an individual. You cannot determine the state of a person's health just by. Number, it should imply act as a marker for an idea of what their health is functioning like. Therefore, following health organisation calculators, its should be kept on mind that BMI should not serve as a source of clinical guidance. People may consider seeking advice from healthcare professionals on healthy weight status due to its unique nature. BMI is a statistical measure of height and weight and is not an indicator of any individuals personal health or appearance.
What are weight for height percentages?
BMI isnt used when measuring a childs health. Instead weight for height percentages are used. BMI is interpretted differently for children and teens even though its calculated with the same formula. Due to changes in weight and height with age, as well as the relation to genetics, BMI levels amongst children and teens are expressed relative to other children of the same sex and age. For children, this takes into account not just height and weight, but also age and sex. Weight for height is a measure of a childs BMI relative to the middle BMI of a whole lot of kids the same sex and age. A clinician should track a child's progress at each weigh in and use percentages as a target. 100% being healthy. Weight for heights not an exact science, but works to provide a more realistic representation of a child's weight, taking into account more factors such as age and sex.
The truth about BMI
BMI is an outdated meaure. It is a simple formula which was designed before computers and computers existed. Therefore, it fails to consider important factors affecting an individuals weight. it does not define the differences between muscle mass and fat distribution. Contrary to this, BMI doesnt consider sex, age or bone structure, so is not an accurate science. Researchers say that the abcense of this information can introduce mis-classfication problems that may result in importance in establishing the effects related to overweight individuals. BMI also origninated from data of european men, therefore lacks effectiveness for people of other races and ethnicities. We cannot catagorise individuals as "underweight" "healthy" or "overweight" and assign certain health risks to these categories, as we risk ignoring the full picture. The risk being that inappropriate healthcare is provided. Thus, creating a barrier to treatment, especially within eating disorders.
BMI guidelines for treating an eating disorder
The american psychiatric association has guidelines for how to correctly diagnose eating disorders in correspondence to weight and physical health. In order for someone to be diagnosed with anorexia, there os criteria. But it's important to note that this should be as a brief guidance as to the nutritional needs and appropriate intervention thats required. Sometimes, an individual can be tormented by anorexia but be presenting at a "normal" BMI. The reliance on BMI in order to diagnose someone with anorexia may get in the way of the necessary treatment. BMI doesn't show whats happening internally. Its important that disgnosing and treating eating disorders isnt based on BMI or weight. These two factors dont allow clinicians to give an accurate depiction on whats going on with someones mental health, let alone their relationship with food, exercise or body image. Acknowledging and dealing with the way someone feels about food, their eating pattern's and how their body feels as well as their opinion towards it, will be more accurate and reliant for an eating disorder diagnosis and treatment, rather than weight alone.
BMIs role in treatment
Yes, low BMI can indicate more intensive support for eating disorders, which may be required. Eating disorders main concern and barrier to treatment is physical wellbeing. If an individual poses as a medical risk to themself, then cognitive intervention mostly cannot be accessed. For someone who has a low BMI and dealing with an eating disorder, its possible treatment in a medical setting is needed to restore health and begin the recovery process. This could include, hopsitals, residential, day programs, the list is endless. But an individal should never be denied treatment based on a number. It means so little and really is outdated.
Weight restoration
It's appreciated how hard anorexic thoughts are to combat as well as how hard it is to choose recovery every single day. You should always do the opposite of what your eating disorder wants, that's a non negotiable. Maintaining good health is never something you should allow your eating disorder to sabotage. Being fuelled gives you the strength to combat these thoughts. Eating disorders have never been about weight, nor will they ever be. Treating eating disorder symptoms of malnutrition and food restriction are at the forefront of treatment and the first fragment of recovery. But once an individual has managed to stabilise their eating habits and don't pose a medical risk to themselves, psychological intervention should be taking place alongside aiming to follow and achieve a more normalised eating pattern with normal behaviours. Personally Hay some fault at the door of the media as to why so many stereotypes now surround the illness, including the fact that an individual must be underweight to have an eating disorder. But this isn't true as studies show that less than 6% of those with an eating disorder are underweight.
Fear of becoming "overweight"
BMI is an outdated meaure. It is a simple formula which was designed before computers and computers existed. Therefore, it fails to consider important factors affecting an individuals weight. It does not distinguish the differnces between muscle mass and fat distribution. Contrary to this, BMI doesnt consider sex, age or bone structure, so is not an accurate science. Researchers say that the absense of this informaton can introduce misclassfication problems that may result in important boas in establishingmiating the effects related to overweight individuals. BMI also orgninated from data of european men, therefore lacks effectiveness for people of other races and ethncnities. We cannot catagorise individuals as “underweight”, “healthy” or “overweight” and assign certain health risks to these categories, as we risk ignoring the full picture. The risk being that inappropriate healthcare is provided. Thus, creating a barrier to treatment, especially within eating disorders.