Re: Question on BMI

Priscilla H. Ballou <vze23t8n@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article <79e452hutsv9ne8j4t601h8i0u51rapk0f@xxxxxxx>,
bittersweet <bittersweet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:01:34 -0400, Susan <nevermind@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/174/3/308

Waist to hip ratio is a strong indicator of CVD risk.

Susan

That link was a little disheartening for me, especially this part:

"Using waist-to-hip ratio rather than BMI as a measure of obesity and
hence risk for CVD makes a considerable difference to the proportion
of people considered at risk of myocardial infarction. The researchers
estimate that a waist-to-hip ratio cut-off of 0.83 for women and 0.9
for men would result in a 3-fold increase in population attributable
risk for myocardial infarction."

I went from a BMI of over 40 down to 20 or 21. I have lost all the
weight I can without looking emaciated... The jeans I am wearing right
now are a size 3. I've never had much of a *** or hips at all,
though, so my waist-to-hip ratio is 0.85. If they decide to use that
ratio rather than BMI as a definition of obesity, I'd be in the obese
category even though I'm only 112 pounds.

I was wondering something similar. I'm no 112 pounds, but I've never
had a noticeable waistline, and when I was skinny (way long ago in my
youth) I was basically one size between my shoulders and my thighs. So,
is there an exception for body-type, or is body-type symptomatic?

I'm very disappointed that instead of developing the interesting and
useful ideas about body type of Sheldon (ectomorph, endomorph,
mesomorph), doctors are being bullied by time pressures into
"evidence-based medicine". "Evidence based medicine" sounds wonderful,
but given the poor understanding of statistics of most of those who
use them, is turning medicine into one-size-fits-all statistical risk
management. You're given a pill on the basis that if you're the average
person with those blood test results, this pill will be good for you.

The big question is whether it's going to be possible to fix
institutionalised medicine by a process of gradual change, or whether
we're just going to have to call in the revolutionaries.

--
Chris Malcolm cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

.