Off The Record

An imperfect conversation about BMI. Is it a good measure of health? Or a tool that perpetuates weight stigma?


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In this week’s episode, I am discussing the topic of BMI. I would like to preface this episode by saying that I acknowledge my thin privilege, so this is by no means a perfect conversation. However, I do believe that it is an important one to have. The definition of health is somewhat subjective. Tools such as the BMI neglect to consider psychological, environmental, and social aspects of health (to name a few), so is it really a good measure of health? Or is it simply a tool that perpetuates weight stigma? I discuss these points and more in this episode.

 

I discuss:

  • When and why the concept of BMI was developed (6:00)
  • Weight stigma and the validation of BMI. Can someone\'s BMI really tell us how healthy they are? (10:00)
  • What are the consequences of using BMI in practice? (13:00)
  • Is there any relationship between weight and health? (14:12)
  • The value we place on the life and lived experiences of those living in larger bodies. Have you considered your own potential weight biases? (19:15)
  • The impact of labeling someone as being healthy or unhealthy based on their BMI. Is it helpful or harmful (20:05)
  • Why the ability to change one’s body composition, size, or weight is is a lot more complex than you think (24:46)

 

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Thanks for listening! 


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Off The RecordBy Marika Day

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