Is 'Skinny Fat' Real?

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Executive Producer: Doctor Mike
Production Director and Editor: Dan Owens
Managing Editor and Producer: Sam Bowers
Editor and Designer: Caroline Weigum
Editor: Juan Carlos Zuniga

* Select photos/videos provided by Getty Images *

** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

[milton]

Most understandable explanation of the term ‘skinny fat’ I’ve come across

[nellako]

I'd say bmi is more like an additional guidance than actual confirmation

[vanringo]

BMI was created around 1815 by a Dutch mathematician to help calculate the quantity of supplies to send to an area that has been flooded. Even back then, he said this was to be used for groups of people, not on the individual person.

[Heather-xmul]

BMI is a 2D description of a 3D object. It misses a lot.

[knwmore]

Plus, those big bodybuilders aren't always a perfect picture of health, either...

[clarel]

100% agree with this expert. Thanks, Dr Mike, for your very enlightening reels!

[lania]

Skinny fat is definitely real. One can have a normal BMI but have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high A1C...on and on.

[tiesiai_per_aplinkui]

My husband by his doctor was diagnosed that he was overweight and was send to the nutrishionist to help "fix his diet".
When she checked his measures on muscle mass vs fat, she said that you have a lot of muscle mass which makes the BMI number not relevant.
Old school doctor rely on BMI too much.

[TheGamer-bfwm]

That's me ... I don't move ... only eat junk and I am skinny but only have fat on me ...

[Asy]

In my opinion BMI is a tool which is best used while also gathering information other ways like different tests. I have no idea if it can be put into this discussion as an example but my gestational diabetes while pregnant wasn't detected until the last month of pregnancy because my BMI was normal so the doctors refused to do the blood test they normally do, the really sugary one, but the midwife demanded it🤷‍♀️

[raversmiracle]

I tried and failed to argue this with one of my professors in nursing school. Hearing you say my exact words makes me smile. BMI is a terrible measure of obesity.

[lanabmc]

Another thing for women that skews bmi is breast size. My sister is always lumped into a higher bmi than she actually is because of this. You get an older male doctor and they’re ignoring that

[katieedwards]

I always say this, I’m a skinny fat. I’m thin but I am HELLA unhealthy. I get winded going up stairs, I’m weak, I’m certainly not toned. There are 10000% bigger people who are way healthier than me.

[nicolelewonkenobi]

Thank you Dr. Mike for having so many amazing guests and discussions!

[irav]

Exactly! So many people don't understand "skinny fat" and how bad it is. That's me, I did the test, and my BMI is in low normal range, almost "underweight", but fat% is in the beginning of "overweight" category. If I say I'm fat people think I'm just crazy, because they see skinny, but it's not healthy, and I'm trying to change my body composition, but it's very hard to do

[Lovemonniibee]

I’m so glad this is being talked about! We like to point out the people who are clearly obese and tell them to work out when they may have underlying health issues causing the weight. But we don’t like addressing the fact that many skinny folks are just straight up living wildly unhealthy lives here in America at at least

[Funnyjoke]

My dad has a wonderful description of BMI:
"How much does a 6 foot long bar of iron weigh?"

You need to know how big around it is. You can't answer that question just based on that.
BMI is NOT the perfect reference, because it takes the exact same principle.

[lollsazz]

I'm in the "overweight, but not actually over-fat" range. I'm kinda surprised that it doesn't require that much - you DON'T need to look like a body builder. I had a fat percentage of 18.6, and I'm a woman, and unless I flex, you don't really see that it's muscle, but you CAN certainly feel it though

[amandaswigert]

The man who invented the BMI calculation was a mathmetician who wanted to give physicians a simple and quick way to make a general measurement of a person's health and weight. He said it should never be used for serious medical practice and diagnosis

Edit: See replies for more accurate details. I was telling this from memory after learning about it in statistics at university (obviously it's been too long)

[zzzzzgh]

I've been telling my friends about it, nobody accepts it