How BMI Perpetuates Racism & Hurts Marginalized People

[@naejin]

It's well known that BMI isn't perfect because muscle mass is heavier than fat, so for athletic people BMI can give skewed information. I don't think BMI is racist, it's just maybe less accurate for some various groups of people. BMI is not and never was a be all end all metric to rule over all other health metrics. It's just one metric tool to be used in conjunction with other metrics to help determine one's health.

[@rosiejavier5078]

But Is it racist ? Noooo!

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@BrokenEyedVegan]

You know if you’re over weight or not though based on your shape and height so even.though BMI is slightly flawed at times it’s not as off the mark as this lunacy. You know if you’re too big, this is just deflecting self responsibility

[@Kelkschiz]

Exactly, if there is a problem, the problem is how we use this metric. The metric itself is not an issue. As I see it, BMI can be used as an indicator that there might be an issue. But having a BMI that is too high or low is not an issue in itself. Also, it should be used by individuals, not by medical companies.

[@macmcleod1188]

I agree but there's a constant pressure to turn it into a be all end all measurement. I've been tall and athletic my entire life and the BMI always indicates I'm extremely unhealthy. And there's evidence that some people who can be overweight without it affecting their mortality. I don't agree that it's racist but they probably should perform studies of BMI for other racial groups and determine if or how the relationships between BMI and heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes for those groups. The same thing happens with men versus women. Having a large medical study with male subjects doesn't create good data for females. There have been problems with blood pressure medications for black males and four females in general.

[@mist2057]

This video is the definition of when you let yourself go and can’t take any personal responsibility for your actions

[@PlantBasedBlackMan]

✊🏿💪🏿💯💯💯💯

[@naejin]

The fact is that majority of Americans are overweight. There's just this counterculture movement to accept American obesity to counter American obsession with small frame beauty standards, because some people feel unfairly/unjustly excluded by these standards.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

Because being thinner and healthier does look better. If they feel excluded, that’s on them.

[@naejin]

@@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846 That's not entirely true either. That's overly simplistic. There is a actual biological reason to become fat. It's our natural biology to store excess energy & save it for later (like batteries). Our bodies do not evolve as fast as technological advancement, if at all. In the natural world without technology of any sort, our bodies try to prepare for times of lean or famine. Our bodies are built to be attracted to high density calorie (energy) foods. There is a reason we like sugars & fats & the brain wants to reward us for securing such nourishment. The issue is that in modern days of plentifulness, our primal nature of our brain/bodies hasn't adapted to deny/reject such high calorie foods. It takes conscious effort to fight the natural heuristic instincts. But psychology can affect this norm. Social pressures to fit in such as beauty standards can become more important & overcome these instincts (see anorexia & bulimia). Just because we're in a age of plenty, evolution doesn't seem like it's going to remove our instincts to seek high calorie density foods, because a famine could always just be around the corner. It would be really unstrategic to survival to abandon the safety net programming to seek life affirming calories. But if a apocalyptic time were to ever occur & famine occurs, where deathly skinny frame became the norm, seeing a rare fuller person would be miraculously beautiful. People would envy that person & probably secretly hate him/her, kind of how many people secretly hate attractive skinny people with envy. It's all contextual to the time, period, culture, and food security economics.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@naejin Yes our bodies are made to store energy. But it’s also made not to become obese. It’s called homeostasis. If you eat too much you become fat, and you can have a balance and it is easy. And the bottom line BMI has nothing to do with someone’s ethnicity. In fact BMI is used as a rough estimate not only for humans but for animals also. Also if you’re obese during a famine it does not mean you’re going to live or last longer. In fact most people who are a obese are malnourished because they are not eating healthy food and not getting the proper nutrients.

[@H1Caliber]

That's facts

[@santabanter]

BMI is not racist. It’s a measurement

[@lucydean4028]

It's built on white body standards for beauty and health. If that's just a number/measurement, please feel free to publicly show your IQ. It's just a measurement right? I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

[@BrokenEyedVegan]

@@lucydean4028 sounds like your fee fees are hurt. Nothing to do with beauty or anything, just a body mass measurement… You know yourself if you’re overweight or not, unless the persons in denial. 😂 this video Is ridiculous

[@vitorcardoso7477]

@@lucydean4028 Please tell me you're trolling

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@lucydean4028 No it is not, it was created by a Belgian mathematician in the 19 century. It’s a rough measurement for all creatures.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@lucydean4028 And my IQ is 162 and I’m apart of MENSA. So what is yours?

[@barisslovenkov5762]

If everything is racist, nothing is racist.

[@BrokenEyedVegan]

Very thought provoking and profound If I’m the last sane person alive then does that mean I’m the crazy one? Ahaha 🤣

[@barisslovenkov5762]

@@BrokenEyedVegan In a way, yes. You wouldnt be normal, at the very least

[@BrokenEyedVegan]

@@barisslovenkov5762 videos like this make me feel like there is not much sanity left in our world

[@barisslovenkov5762]

@@BrokenEyedVegan It would be quite funny, if these people wouldn't have so much power...

[@michaelkolhaas4641]

Calling it racist is a very American approach to dealing with obesity. But, yes, BMI is a stupid indicator for a variety of reasons. Inherent racism is not among the most compelling.

[@coronahotel4967]

I agree, its almost like they think that if they call it racist the problem will go away. If they call it racist they don’t even need to recognize it as a problem. Being fat is unhealthy, but me saying that doesn’t make me hateful or racist, an argument can be made that I am even more compassionate than the clowns in this video.

[@jopoveromo1054]

American? No, leftist approach.

[@ramteja1550]

This is gone too far now... What's next, preventing doctors from diagnosing you because it might hurt your feelings? People need to grow up.

[@Joshuamllr]

Let’s just say that this report is correct. What would be so wrong with making it correct for everyone?

[@ramteja1550]

@@Joshuamllr if people wanna make it correct and more accurate, that's good for everyone, but I'm saying that blaming your weight and height and lifestyle on racism is just plain wrong. And even after watching the video, I have not seen ANYYY link between BMI calculation and racism, you saw the formula, it LITERALLY asks ONLY your height, weight, age, etc. NOTHING MORE. Even if the people who created it were racist, mathematics cannot be racist

[@Joshuamllr]

@@ramteja1550 they explained how it was designed by a panel of doctors who were white and at the time, inherit bias/racism was prominent. Then in the 1970s they changed the name. This is only a 3 min clip. This was years of research. No one wants to waste time thinking about racism let alone studying the horrible affects that have been passed down through generations. The BMI, by itself, isn’t racist. They way it was conceived and planned out was. It’s a tool of racist ideologies that is being called out and should be fixed. Maybe this lens will help change the standards and make it a better system for everyone. No disrespect, just keeping an open mind

[@nikolnolastname4473]

The one with with hurt feelings is you.

[@ben06031978]

This is why people like this will never be taken seriously. BMI is a simple fact. I agree that this fact can be misused in a racist way, but the fact itself cannot be racist. You weigh what you weigh and your height is your height. Amazing this kind of attitude is tolerated.

[@DotHacker99]

I'm an advocate of POC but this is a really dumb assertion. There's not a higher than 50% of black people being obese. BMI isn't great and makes overweight and obese feel bad. I'd say if someone's height to weight ratio makes them overweight or obese then they need to stop making excuses and try becoming healthier.

[@PHlophe]

sweety she isn't talking about fat people per se . she is talking about a large swathes of people whose BMI might be off fat or not and they happen to black. we are not going to have the same BMI and Asians, they are usually a whole head shorter than black people.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@PHlophe BMI is not Way-cyst. This video is a joke. BMI is a rough estimate for every living creature. It’s not only use for humans, it’s used for other animals also as a rough estimate.

[@danielbreen5427]

BMI is flawed but it’s not racist. This is why independents think y’all are crazy sometimes.

[@davidegentili8262]

At this point i wonder what is NOT rooted in racism. It's getting ridicolous.

[@socialmediamanagement1859]

Let me guess! You're white and colour blind! You don't get cookies for that

[@davidegentili8262]

@@socialmediamanagement1859 even allies will soon start to feel exhausted

[@socialmediamanagement1859]

@@davidegentili8262who needs exhausted allied? Either you understand your history or you don't. If you don't you probably an 'exhausted allied' and more part of the problem than the solution. We need people who can look at history and understand the consequences of it now and find a way to solve problems. What we don't need is people who are to sensitive to realise that policies were always made to exclude some. If you're exhausted take a nap you are no ally

[@davidegentili8262]

@@socialmediamanagement1859 you see exclusion everywhere. Defenetly lots of things were made not caring about what black people felt. Still this isnt proof of omnipresent racism.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@monkpkey LOL!!! Exactly they could not handle what they stated.

[@Badabum9080]

Best solution is to remove it as an indicator. It's not just race. Though the point of black ppl being bred to being bigger and stronger during the era of slavery is extremely valid. This also means ppl like bodybuilders, athletes etc also are not served by an obsolete measuring scale. This falls again, in doctor's hands who should stop being technicians and consider with thought and deliberation every individual patients need without disparity and bias. Just remove BMI.

[@fortnex9972]

Dude! What a snow flake !!! Is not bias, is not racist. Is just a toole among many others to see if you are heathy. Is a perfect tool ? Nope. Is usefull? Yep !! Stop beeing offended!!!

[@katmtr3071]

@@fortnex9972 I’m wondering if you watched the video in attempts to absorb information or to simply reply with comments like your previous one. I’m not sure if not using the word racist helps you accept the fact that this scale is heavily dated in terms of its empirical value. So to help you, we can say, it’s not racist - BUT it is a non-objective scale that is used to “determine” how healthy an individual is even though problems people have, might have no relation to the scale used. This issue impacts, people of colour, athletes, marines etc (as stated in comments and the vid). Try to be more open minded please. And watch videos instead of holding your opinion strong. Watching videos about different views then yours are useless if you don’t try to accept some information given.

[@fortnex9972]

@@katmtr3071 Im totally open minded. Who is not open minded is da beotch saying is racist one instrument to say if you are healthy

[@katmtr3071]

@@fortnex9972 If a measure is only tested on white people. The results of the scale would be for white people, not other groups of people (specifically people of colour). People of colour (POC) were literally bred to be bigger and stronger (as stated IN the video). If POC are physiologically bigger because of being bred to be bigger IT IS NO LONGER a health issue (which means the person may be bigger and the BMI scale will say they’re unhealthy, but that is simply not true), this is simply the way they are. The BMI scale has never been standardized (tested to be accurate for multiple groups if people). I’m not sure if you’re white, but I definitely sense some fragility. You don’t seem to be open minded at all. Open minded would be attempting to understand something that you disagree with, and according to your comments you’re incapable of that. Have a good rest of your day.

[@fortnex9972]

@@katmtr3071 ok dont use BMI. Nex time a black person needs anestesya. The siringe will be filled with good intentions.

[@KittySnicker]

Are y’all seriously peddling this cringy fat acceptance propaganda? You know there are fit Black people out there, right? It’s not like Black people are inherently fat. Having said that, we don’t need BMI to know if someone’s fat. You can tell from just looking at them, like the lady in the yellow shirt. Whether we learn her BMI or not, we know her knees are in pain.

[@tansiian]

Fatness (and by extension BMI) is not the only indicator of Health. People, especially BIPOC are being denied access to opportunities because of that. Racism aside, healthcare professionals and providers (includes insurance) who can't look past your short-sighted world view are either willingly ignorant or neglectful.

[@blackwolfdragon1705]

@@tansiian BMI isn't racist. People just don't like being told they're overweight

[@aidansmith8797]

BMI is a formula, a better marker would be simply measuring body fat percentages. But, on the whole, these two markers tend to line up quite well. Most people with a higher BMI, tend tot have a higher body fat percentage. Considering measuring body fat percentages accurately can be expensive, therefore BMI is used. So because of this overlap in general it is fine tot use, but as a medical professional you always have to look at your patiënt. If a patient is very muscular, you cannot use BMI as a sole marker for health. In the Netherlands (where I attend medical school), this is always taught. I feel this video villieanises BMI a bit. Like so many medical markers, there are always general markers used in most cases and specific markers used for specific cases where using the general markers isn't usefull. Saying BMI is not the only marker useful in determining health is fine. But implying it is not usefull at all or even malignant, could make people for whom BMI actually is an accurate measurement form, dismiss it.

[@aidansmith8797]

@Guy Whose opinions will offend you I'm not into body building at all. I like playing team sports regularly, but body building or even going to the gym tbh seems very boring to me. Just repeating the same movements day after day, does not sound fun to me. But that's a personal preference. To come back to your point, you're right in saying BMI and body fat don't only have upper limits. They also have lower limits and these can of course also be unhealthy. I wouldn't say that's a controversial statement.

[@jopoveromo1054]

They purely want to put responsibility on others and not themselves for their weight.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

AMEN!!! Exactly, you made a fantastic statement.

[@DizzleDog]

BMI isn’t the best way to determine if someone has too much fat or not. I agree it’s not the best scientific metric. Just because it’s bad doesn’t mean it’s racist lol

[@Lancaster22]

We have such a dark history that still has lasting effects today but saying something is racist without any real basis is a good way to defer your own accountability and responsibility for things

[@DL_1987]

Inherently racist??? I wouldn’t label it as that. Inherently biased I would say yes. In order to say it’s racist you would have to say without a doubt that it was created in order to mistreat and misrepresent one group of people. Whereas inherently biased would say that the standard was created for the time from what they themed healthy, by weight to height standard, which we know today is wrong.

[@DizzleDog]

Whoa, slow down there bud ✋🏻✋🏽✋🏿 No need to bring logic into this. This channel was created for divisive purposes. Not peace and understanding 😜

[@joshuataylor3550]

I agree the way it's presented is overly sensationalised. But please let's learn to see this from all sides. 1. POC's have unquestionably been mistreated in western society on almost every aspect of life and now they finally have platforms like this on which they can be heard and they really want to be heard. 2. The point made here is that white people created a metric for white people by which ALL people are measured with no consideration for other ethnicities. They may not have been a conscious decision to harm POC, but that is undoubtedly the effect. 3. I despair at the lack of viable solution presented and that this will absolutely be used by those who benefit by telling people 'everything is racist now'.

[@MrBig617]

eVeRyThInG iS rAcIsT!

[@DL_1987]

@@joshuataylor3550 So my wife and I are people of color. Me (Black/White) Wife (Mexican/Native). The issue is people do not understand the definition of racism and their argument for it doesn’t qualify as a racist act. Racial bias is a better argument. If they would make that argument people wouldn’t get turned off on videos like this.

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@phreak074]

BMI is constantlybused in the military and it is repulsive. Simply adding body fat percentage to the equation flips BMI on its head. Obesity is a real problem but BMI is not accurate enough to make any reap determination.

[@rosiejavier5078]

But is it racist ? No!

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

BMI is a rough estimate. And it can be applied to all Sorts of animals not just humans.

[@macmcleod1188]

Anything short of being submerged in water to determine density is quackery.

[@TheAGNOSTIC_who_YT_CENSORS]

Well as a veteran who actually was considered slightly overweight back in my active duty years with the Army, I can say that in my experience it didn't really matter much as long as you passed your tape test (which I did) and more importantly your PT test (which I did). I will say that in my experience (from way back in 05) there's definitely a massive culture of body shaming in the marine corps even among males. A DI tried to bodyshame me at one point but it's hard to say rather or not it was more because I was prior service Army since the usmc has to constantly hate on and tell treasonous lies on the U.S. Army or else virtually nobody would enlist to be a marine. I should also say for what it's worth the military arguably has an incentive to prefer service members to be as light as practical since if they're injured it makes them easier to move and hand-to-hand combat is profoundly rare anyway so who cares about size advantages? I've always imagined that if one could/would only clone one type of athlete to serve in all MOSs it would be a male gymnast and if that wasn't available it would probably be a female gymnast. Small target + physically strong and agile with excellent stamina + easily trained to climb over obstacles + easily moved if injured would probably make for a good body type for troops in a variety of MOSs. They'd definitely be great snipers anatomically. Just IMHO...

[@lukebeignet]

"If you care about racial justice, you need to care about ending these claims surrounding obesity." It's a little unclear what Strings means by "these claims" that we need to end. That obesity is unhealthy? Because that's certainly true. That obesity can be accurately assessed by BMI? BMI isn't completely useless but of course doesn't account for body composition (muscle vs fat). That obesity is caused by individual decisions? This is one part of it, but of course as they discuss it's also a result of genetics, wealth, and surrounding environment.

[@quepitylane8307]

Bruh. Everything is racist these days. 🙄😂

[@quepitylane8307]

@S B 😂😂 yeah okay whatever you say

[@dragonslastfyl2203]

Next air is racist

[@mrsapplez2007]

Ok so, I wouldn't say it was necessarily racist but it DEFINITELY is floored. As a health care professional the use for it for pre op and anesthesia it is needed imo. However, I've had to have an op here in uk and my fitness levels are good yet bmi saying I'm overweight.

[@joshuataylor3550]

Flawed*

[@joshuataylor3550]

Waist circumference is a better alternative for a general health indicator.

[@andrastetriformis6241]

Maybe this is why so many people die or are irreparably harmed by anesthesia because they are using unfounded science of a person's BMI to determine dosages incorrectly.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@andrastetriformis6241 HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! OK then how else would they determine how much anesthesia to give a person? BMI is a scientific standard but it’s not exact, especially if you read the scales.

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@crywhit4619]

Everybody out here saying that BMI isnt racist, instead of making a blanketed statement, advocate for scientific research into seeing if the BMI scale (which this lady said wasn't created by any scientific standards) is in fact a valid metric tool for EVERYONE regardless of race, gender etc.

[@junewong6086]

people do review the BMI!!!!!!! do you know that there is a different scale for asian? read some news, dont just sit here all day to watch these brainless tiktok videos.

[@capital_of_texas]

As a Hispanic male, I absolutely do not find the BMI *racist* Is the BMI flawed? Absolutely. But racist? How on Earth have we gone to that conclusion. At this point we should ban all books from the past because people were racist back then. This is the type of logic we are using here.

[@BigtimeBigA]

I like when politically and socially motivated people lecture doctors on what is healthy, I guess we on the left only care about science when it comes to environment but not when it hurts our feelings. I went from 343lbs to 188lbs, at my highest weight even though I didn’t have diabetes or high blood pressure, I was NOT healthy.

[@fortnex9972]

Sissta!!! Stop beeing so ofended and start watching your weight!!!!

[@chadben9532]

Ok, ya'll are just trying to make up problems at this point 🤣 But seriously though, I felt a strange sense of racist dogma in their points. Generalizations like that all black people are naturally bigger, that black people were "bred" like animals to be bigger, and that because the people who made the BMI system were white that means that the system doesn't apply to black people. Which to me comes off as them saying that black people are somehow genetically separate beings from white people. Even though we're all human beings. Also being fat DOES indicate that you're unhealthy. Just take care of yourself and show some self restraint. I'm trying to get in shape not because I hate fat people but because I want to be healthy and feel good about myself. So they should stop finding ways to make the system out to be bad and to look at themselves critically.

[@beeatoms]

right? bred like animals... isn''t that a racist belief? jesus they are contradicting themselves...

[@CAC6363]

BMI doesn’t tell you how fat you are though?… for that you would have to actually measure your fat percentage.

[@chadben9532]

@@CAC6363 BMI just gives a rough idea of where you should be. Doctors aren't stupid, if you're very muscular and have a high BMI they won't classify you as obese. They use BMI to see where you generally should be weight wise, then body fat to see how healthy you are.

[@CAC6363]

@@chadben9532 they have to classify as obese that’s the scale there is no other option lmao. So doctors know what they are doing but we can bed the rules for KZbin comments? 😂 doctors used to blood let too shall we try it again? No a transfusion isn’t a blood letting either lol also fat doesn’t tell you if your healthy or not tbh, that’s your blood it’s literally how they get lipid levels.

[@socialmediamanagement1859]

The problem with America is your ignorance. You don't even know your history. So there's no point in discussing it

[@Flight_of_focus]

Who’d have thought obesity would be cancelled for being racist

[@waynethompson1115]

I can agree with this. I also think that my smoking is healthy and if you disagree it's white supremacy.

[@martinworkens6130]

I was over 25 BMI . White guy . Blood high , pre diabetes, chronic kidney disease level 4 , high uric acid Gout. Reduced my BMI to below 23. All improved . NNowvnormal blood sugar . Kidney function now low 3, blood pressure down , lower BP meds, Uric acid down, no gout , more energy , look younger. It worked , BMI down health improved. Not racist just common sense.

[@BigtimeBigA]

Lizzo is the picture of health, everyone should be in McDonalds everyday doing there best to emulate that if you want to live forever.

[@phillipyoung3250]

Yaas, I agree 100%. Lizzo is our beauty standard to follow. Can ya Make it a large?

[@bobbymoua-di5vk]

BMI IS FACTS

[@rtpatrick2000ify]

This is insane...an obese medical doctor saying being fat is ok!!??? My sisters will come up with anything to avoid eating healthy and going to the gym.

[@MishaKobyakov]

Is it some stupid joke?

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

That is exactly what I thought this was. I thought this was a comedy sketch.

[@SaladBowl72948985]

This is such a load of rubbish. BMI is a simple tool used to cheaply and quickly determine someone’s average health. When used with common sense it is fine. If someone has enough muscle mass to mislead BMI scale, it will be clearly evident. No one who goes to the gym three times a week and you can see clear muscle definition on them, is going to be confused as being obese. It’s not perfect, but nothing is. The alternatives are, cheap body fat percentage readers like you find in gyms which are hugely flawed, skin fold callipers: I’m sure no one would rather have their skin and fat pinched to take readings, and anything else is too expensive.

[@jenueladamvillanueva6235]

Theyre just trying to find ways to push the, agenda that fatphobia is rooted on racism.

[@cashydude3285]

BMI scale is also discriminatory against people of Scandinavian and Mongolian descent, or anyone of bigger natural build. Invented by Skinny British and French boys to maintain their “royalty” and “superiority” from their colonial days.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! BMI Is not discriminatory. BMI is a rough estimate and it’s used not only for humans but for animals also.

[@Wakish0069]

Cashy is incorrect

[@daniellet3922]

It adjusts for height…

[@Mrchiken0]

now this is stupid

[@aaronr9023]

Obesity is a problem in America first of all. Second of all, you are ignoring the root cause yourself which is the difference in food distribution amongst the races. Fast food restaurants are located in much greater densities in poor neighborhoods then they are in affluent neighborhoods. This contributes to the weight problem. Being without a car is another factor, because many people who live in poor communities report not being able to get to a store with fresh fruits and vegetables within a 10-minute walk. Majority of people do still live within a 10 minute walk of fast food restaurant, small bodega, or gas station in urban areas. This is another problem that plagues poor communities that is of an issue for those in the liberal mindset. Other factors such as nutritional education and stress levels also play a role. Calling the BMI index racist without cause is kind of troubling here, because you are forgetting much of your own literature when you say it. Plus it's not clear from the video what major problems are being caused by it. I didn't see anything in the video that made me say, "oh we got to get rid of that."

[@packerpf]

if you think obesity is a US issue you have no clue lol.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I grew-up in the Hood and now live in an Affluent neighborhood. And there are even more fast food restaurants where I live now. Eating is a choice, No one is putting a gun to your head to eat what they are selling. There are not very many supermarkets and grocery stores in bad neighborhoods because they get robbed and people steal everything from there. Look at all the videos of all the CVS, Walgreens leaving those neighborhoods being robbed and looted. And obesity is in every ethnicity in America.

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@Miliko207]

I want to add: to see if you are healthy, not just determinde glucose level or measure your blood pressure. Yes, these two are silent killers and definetely dangerous but I would also measure cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TAG. Unhealthy fats can also clot our arteries and we dont have enough good fats in our diet. I think it has been proven by now that abdominal fat is unhealthy. You can have some curves in your thighs or buttocks, but abdominal is as far as I know dangerous

[@nachannachle2706]

Amen to this comment. As an African, I'm tired of people saying that some African women are sick and unhealthy just because they have bigger shoulders and thighs, ignoring the fact that their waistlines are as compact as can be. A big frame does not necessarily mean being unhealthy/obese: some people just don't get it because they feel threatened by something that they can't have or that doesn't match their magazines' covers.

[@captainal5]

Now This News is where brain cells go to die

[@AGDinCA]

I am definitely left-of-center, but I'm sorry, I'm going to have to disagree here. BMI is used across all ethnicities and is literally colorblind, as it is solely based on height and weight. Is it a perfect determinate of health? No, of course not. But I think it is a step too far to make BMI a racist tool.

[@alexanderl9985]

Agree.

[@PKMNFan4664]

I consider BMI to be BS and I'm a white guy. My BMI usually oscillates between saying I'm overweight or obese, but my body fat percentage is in a relatively healthy range.

[@jopoveromo1054]

Do you have the numbers?

[@PKMNFan4664]

@@jopoveromo1054 My current BMI is 30.6.

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@PKMNFan4664 the numbers to prove your point not just that one.

[@PKMNFan4664]

@@jopoveromo1054 Obese is considered 30.0 or higher.

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@PKMNFan4664 what’s your body fat percentage..

[@Discussions1]

Hmmm... Kevin Samuels would disagree with this. Explain how black people were not so fat over 50 years. Look at black actresses and celebrities from the 70's.

[@cd.cd.cd.cd-cd]

Just when you thought BW couldnt make more excuses

[@ramteja1550]

BW?

[@Robotoda2000]

It's not racist. Its just flawed. I'm white, muscular, short and athletic. I'm overweight according to my BMI. But so what? It's just a guideline based on averages. There's no need to cry about it. Just be your own judge. You know yourself and you know if you're too fat. You don't need to be told by anyone, you can look in the mirror and see for yourself.

[@nostalgiajuana]

Shouldn't this be labeled as misinformation

[@kospencer1]

BMI is racism, spoon made me fat.

[@rheasummer5806]

This is stupid 😒

[@Mo-mc3mw]

I still dont understand why its racist. How can a formula be mean to a certain color?

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

Because it’s not.

[@bmoney3837]

As a black person I think this is stupid 😂😂😂 what is college teaching you

[@supremewhip]

Reaching a bit far, no?

[@shaqsmith94]

This happens in the Marine Corp too. I saw so many Marines being told that they are unfit for duty based on the BMI scale. Most not all we’re perfectly healthy they just had higher bone or muscle density.

[@officialWWM]

That’s not a thing 😂 bones and joints aren’t meant to carry extra weight. It doesn’t matter if it’s fat or muscle.

[@orlandocruzlopez3536]

Sure

[@TheAGNOSTIC_who_YT_CENSORS]

That's because the marine corps has a ridiculous male bodyshaming culture. I saw this first-hand when I made the mistake of signing up with them after I'd already served in the Army. By comparison, the Army simply (and logically) does a tape test if you're "overweight". As long as you pass that along with your PT test, nobody messes with you.

[@TheAGNOSTIC_who_YT_CENSORS]

@@officialWWM You're also the world's worst reader as well. Try rereading what they said.

[@franvutmej5974]

we live in a clown world 🤡

[@lovepet4565]

Omg Is the lady with the puff on her head SERIOUS? She is insane

[@isaac_aren]

BMI is only a guideline, but it absolutely isn't racist. Also breeding black people to be heavier? With human lifespans that would take thousands of years, not a couple hundred

[@Lancaster22]

1. Nobody cares about BMI anymore. 2. I’m not sure that this makes any sense.

[@lateblossom]

This is ridiculous. Not everything is about race.

[@IKEMENOsakaman]

I'm Asian and I'm always underweight. Sorry for that.

[@Bigfishfun333]

If black people have higher "food insecurities", then black people would eat less and would therefore have LOWER BMI readings. So why is she complaining about "food insecurity" disproportionately hurting black BMI levels?

[@LoboMendez1]

This is reaching, and i speak as a POC who has done a lot of work in social justice. Obesity is a problem, especially in America, and communities of color are disproportionately in the higher indexes of BMI bc of access to nutrition, adequate healthcare and personal time for exercise. The index in itself is not racist, and if ppl of color who have been indexed high, should think about changing diet patterns and lifestyle to reduce it and live better lives. But the numbers themselves arent racist, white, black, brown, etc, if you're a certain height and weigh more than your body can manage in a healthy way then your index is high. One of these ladies seems like she is having issues with her own placement in the index.

[@benderboyboy]

It's not a reach. As an Asian, I'm using the same BMI you are, even though we are generally smaller than the white bodies that BMI is based off on. In my community, we have underreported obesity because it doesn't match the BMI of what is considered obese by white people, so we have health problems that are deemed "abnormal" for our BMI. And there's also a problem of over reporting for underweight, especially in women, because Asian women have smaller builds than Anglo-Saxon women, and have led to intense body-shaming and mental health problems.

[@benderboyboy]

The very fact that the numbers exists is a sign of the racism. Because they measured one group of people and deemed them normal, while everyone else has to conform.

[@nostalgiajuana]

I've absolutely heard it all now 🤣 so being heatly is racist huh wtf kind of world are we living in where this type of talk is actually accepted

[@p21-g2l]

Breathing is racist hahahahah

[@kedarguruu]

whatever measure you use, obesity is a serious problem for black women. it's not just the BMI. black women more commonly have high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. they more often eat junky calorie-dense foods, and more likely pursue an ideal of having thick thighs and a big butt. healthy black women being considered obese is a real problem, but now there's a movement to use beauty as an excuse to be unhealthily fat

[@damluar]

What did I just watch? 🤦‍♂️

[@HelloThere-xs8ss]

What the....?

[@mrtalldude2424]

Go tell Mr heart attack how mean and racist he is

[@robertwatt5382]

Fat positivity is not a good thing.

[@JasonGastrich]

No, but BMI has its limits

[@tripptank]

Hammers don't work on staples so hammers are racist.

[@tripptank]

2025 How Hemoglobin H1C and fasting glucose levels are rooted in racism.

[@user-vg8ox3he1i]

My doctor is by no means a prodigy but even he said that BMI doesn't properly take into account muscular people and bone density. I question how many fit, athletic people are getting stigmatized as a result of BMI. That part is missing. BMI may be a gross measurement, however, if my BMI was in the 40's (6ft male), unless I became a monster body builder, it would indicate that I am definitely obese. It doesn't work as well as you get closer to a healthy weight. Over 70% of Americans are overweight and black people are disproportionately represented. I think that for people who are at an obviously healthy weight with low body fat, they probably don't hear that their BMI is too high.

[@MrLee4love]

But who is standing at 5’5” & 200 lbs? Bound to be overweight & obese? The reasons are, over eating, fast food, over consumption of meat, eating American meat with nitrates that can cause plenty of issues….

[@GigiM_winx]

I mean overly obese can actually be harmful for your body, even I am not skinny but I know that

[@CAC6363]

That’s not the point of the video BMI doesn’t determine obesity, according to the chart in over weight which is not even possible, I get annual physicals and not once have I been told I was overweight. Doctors don’t use BMI to determine anything if actual scientific note.

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@hydroblast2209]

This is definitely black "GIRL" magic

[@jorgemigueltavares6041]

So, today I discovered that there exists a species of lizards, called the _earless monitor lizards,_ that really look like wingless dragons. Albeit really tiny. They still look pretty neat.

[@DemonDog444]

😆Just when I thought the left couldn't get any more deranged...

[@hollyalston1111]

Actually butt fat is harmless. This is where many of us women of color carry weight that some nationalities strive to achieve in the gym. Large bottoms and small waists are ignored in your bmi index hence it’s racist.

[@rcb2418]

I definitely didn't expect this. When I read the title I really thought that other things would be spoken about for example how different body types affect weight and how our genetics also determines our size. I don't think trying to make us seen unhealthy has a lot to do with it, but the fact that our people have curves, they are big boned, we store fat in different areas make us weigh more as well as our metabolism. These are things that many white people don't have to struggle with. The BMI is a general measurement that does not take these factors into consideration. They are stating we are all the same when it comes to body yet this is false.

[@jayb8525]

I agree the BMI is not an accurate way of determining someone's health. However being overweight is one of the #1 contributing factors to poor health. There is no such thing as big boned either, unless you have seen a fat skeleton. Sure we all hold fat in different parts of our bodies but that does not affect whether you are overweight or not. Using an accurate test to determine total body fat percentage is the best way to go.

[@HarryManback0]

Sounds like a lot of excuses for not eating intelligently and not exercising. 60% of black women in the U.S. are obese.

[@the_dragon_gamer8850]

BMI doesn’t factor in healthy body. For example, heavyweights boxers tend to weigh more than 200 pounds and they are still muscular. It just shows how much you weigh

[@emilybazer]

I just can't get on board with this, ya'll are reaching on this one. It is real measurements calculated . . . how can you get any less biased? Black Americans are not homogenous and come from all over the world from numerous generations and therefore cannot be lumped together like this.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

AMEN!!!!

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@listerinr]

I bet whoever ok'd this video has a high BMI

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

Now this news is a liberal leftist site.

[@listerinr]

@@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846 apparently

[@BenZinnar]

“*in the United States,* people of color-and especially Black people-tend to have higher weights than white populations.” From what I heard, higher weight is a cold adaptation. Same with lighter skin. There’s another study that 66.3% of bodybuilders are “white”. So isn’t heaviness (including high muscle mass) what upholds structural racism?

[@JNetters]

Do what’s best for you and your body type.

[@dannacht6827]

Exactly that's why when your doctor tells you to cut down on eating fried chicken because you'll get a heart attack, just call them racist and continue your healthy, cultural, ethnic behavior.

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@dannacht6827 lmaoo awesome

[@jopoveromo1054]

What does that mean?

[@relly793]

there is no type we are all human

[@LordAlania]

We always knew it was imperfect. Even when it was created it was said to be flawed, but as good as any. BMI is far more useful for population studies than as an individual indicator of health. But if not BMI, then what can be used as quickly and convenient? BMI is not only used by americans. It is used by health professionals around the world who may not have at hand ways to measure body fat or muscle mass appropiately. It is not so cut and dry as calling BMI racist, even if African Americans have their own circumstances.

[@jopoveromo1054]

Who is we?

[@AlexADalton]

@@jopoveromo1054 um...human beings? People with a brain?

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@AlexADalton so you and all humans believe this?

[@AlexADalton]

@@jopoveromo1054 its been common knowledge for some time now, unless you live under a rock.

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@AlexADalton I just want to know what you mean by we, that implies you are part of a group of people looking into this.

[@brandnew9834]

Okay, blk don’t worry about exercising and eat as much comfort food as makes you happy. Please do this.

[@rfrank0505]

Lmfao… how is this racist? If your doctor is calling you fat then get a new doctor… or maybe they are telling you the truth

[@pepmancity1887]

It's okay if you think BMI is racist, but here in indonesia. I don't think it's racist, it's just math. It's not racist, if you're weight is higher than normal then you can't get on something because it'll harm yourself. Overweight or ripped to shreds if you're bigger then you should be mindful of others and if you're smaller than others then you should also be mindful of others. If it goes both ways of being mindful then it shouldn't be a problem, if you like being overweight then it's your choice. But you can't throw away the fact that you are one, even if you're with muscles it's overweight the different is one is muscle and one is fat. There are also people with big bone too, but mostly either fat or muscle

[@tansiian]

Like watch the video please? They are advocating that other, more meaningful measures if health be used together with BMI. And it's stupid because many athletes are "Overweight". Can you imagine being denied insurance because they think you're unhealthy because your BMI is "Overweight"?

[@pepmancity1887]

@@tansiian no... It's just a thought, also its not the video its the other people comment.

[@pepmancity1887]

@@tansiian tbf i dont know the situation about insurance, here in indonesia insurance is like forced by the government especially if you are a doctor, if you dont have governmental insurance then you're pretty much screwed. It's a very f up thing but yea.... That

[@juanvega8455]

These people are a joke.

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

That’s exactly what I thought this video was a comedy sketch. And it is a comedy sketch because it’s a joke.

[@andrej117]

Huh this video really exists, God I love Americans

[@Noplacecalledhome]

Ok I’m white and 5’6 and weigh 86kg and don’t look fat but my bmi says that I’m extremely overweight 🤣

[@vitorcardoso7477]

well 86kg for 5'6 is a lot unless you're built like a tank

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@RichardCranium.]

@@vitorcardoso7477 Even than it is to much, he is not a Neanderthal

[@1drummer172]

Give me a break.🙄

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

“Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar.”

[@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet]

🙄 of course it would be some overweight bw women tryna explain why BMI is racist. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

@@adustygreasyandsweatybonnet LOL!!! Man you just nuked them. 🚀BOOOMMM🍄☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️……

[@hunnybadger442]

And why do we need the BMI... You can kinda tell by looking at someone if they're overweight... My bf has an absolutely gorgeous body... looking at him he looks completely normal... wears a size large shirt... But according to the BMI he's obese... When no one not even a doctor would even call him fat...

[@coolworx]

Look... it's really simple: If you can pinch an inch, you need to eat less and move more.

[@Joshuamllr]

As a “morbidly obese” person(based on these findings) I never liked it in the beginning. 2 numbers that determine how an insurance company says ya or nay on how you try to take care of your body and making claims to better yourself… totally trash. I’m happy this is coming out. I will also own my own obesity and make my changes anyway.

[@Asiablue]

BMI is not racist wokism, but those who oppose it spread racist wokism rhetoric thick and heavy.

[@radic888]

What absolute rubbish! You ignore a high BMI reading at your own peril.

[@DaneReidVoiceOver]

BMI is only one measure of health but it's not racist. Weight is a determining factor in health. Overweight people are at higher risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc. What needs to be done is those people should look inward for change instead of outward. It doesn't feel good when the finger is pointed at you but that means you have to do something about it. It's tough. BMI is not perfect. People are growing taller and it doesn't take muscle mass into account either. But don't dismiss it because it makes people feel uncomfortable. What's next? Will they want to end blood pressure readings and cancer diagnoses too? Ovarian cancer is racist and sexist because it mostly affects women of color. This is real life. You don't always get your way. There are a lot of racist things out there but this ain't it.

[@Myoldusernamewasgood]

I worry that the bigger point is that it's supposed to be a guideline. By all means maybe there is a better measuring stick. Insurance choosing to only use BMI as a precursor to charging more is the bigger problem. I'd love a good method of measuring some risk factors towards health issues and complications and I thought that the higher your BMI in an Unhealthy lifestyle could determine that. Obviously if you're a powerlifter I wouldn't be immediately offended by being labeled as Obese. That graph doesn't realize that if your lungs joints and heart are all on board with that weight that you could throw a Fridge. BMI being inherently racist as apposed to Outdated is just fuel to outrage your audience. Maybe your points are good enough that you don't have to Tell us how to feel. I Do however feel that the insurance companies just gonna get away with it. I get your rage.

[@jopoveromo1054]

Overweight people are at higher risk for health issues, that’s why the insurance companies charge more.

[@simonO712]

@@jopoveromo1054 That's not the point though, but rather that BMI on an individual level is a rather flawed indicator of "health-weight-correlation". A muscular person could be classified as obese for example.

[@jopoveromo1054]

@@simonO712 you’re right thanks.

[@johnjoe2946]

This is getting boring now I'm starting to believe in the great replacement theory

[@snowylove2002]

I mean, there is SOME truth to this, hear me out: it is true that black/indigenous/hispanic people tend to have more muscle mass and have higher bone density opposed to white people While at the same time, BMI (even the modified version) tends to mass underreport metabolic obesity in Asian people because people with Asian descent tend to carry less muscle mass oppose to other ethnicities. This can make Asian people more prone to being what is known as “skinny fat”/“normal weight obese” HOWEVER: while BMI can be FLAWED for a variety of reasons, and ethnicity can play a role… if you’re Tess Holiday , Vergie Tovar, Lizzo, Amberlyn Reid, HannahTalksBodies, Nickacado Avocado, or on “My 600lb life”… than yes, obese BMI 1000% accurate to you, and you’re NO “outlier”! Being slightly overweight (5-15lbs over “normal BMI”) because you work out/your body likes to put on more muscle/naturally more curvy than the average person VS being morbidly obese, having health issues, limited mobility, ect… Also equating blackness to fatness is indeed racist in of itself! Michelle McDaniel from “My Thoughts will Probably Offend You”, has a ton of wonderful takes on why the whole “HAES rhetoric” doesn’t care about uplifting black woman but instead use black women as “props” to push their harmful pro-obesity narrative!

[@thanosdoomjuggernaut2846]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Is this a comedy sketch??? Because BMI has nothing to do with any ethnicity.