Weight Charts

[TheFirstBus]

I have noticed that the weight charts done in north america are done by... life insurance companies. My question is, can you trust these in any way, like are they have decently accurate even in a very general way??

Thanks

[DianeVegan]

FirstBus,

Actuaries used these charts to determine death/health rates in the last century. I believe body mass index is becoming more common now. At least to determine the overweight, underweight, obese, morbid obese and super morbid obese. However, these numbers also don't tell the whole story. Muscle mass and fat ratio must also be considered in order to get an accurate picture. When looking for a quick and easy way of determining someone's chances of dying in the next few years, I guess these charts were the best they had. I suspect that new methods are being developed and implemented.

Personally, for my own health, I look to BMI (body mass index) and fat ratio. Unfortunately, the caliper test is not always accurate and water immersion is expensive (and difficult to find).