what does 16.8 bmi mean? Should I get help? I don't see that i'm way skinny by any means, but people look at me all the time think i am. Please advise.
16.8 is considered way below normal for an adult or older teen, it's ok if you are a little kid. You may want to discuss your weight with a medical professional.
janewhite1 is right -- a BMI of 16.8 is considerably below what is considered normal for an adult. At [url]http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/about_adult_BMI.htm[/url] a BMI less than 18.5 is considered underweight.
If people keep telling you that you look underweight, perhaps they might be right. Some people are just genetically slim, but on the other hand, extreme dieting can deprive the brain of nutrients so severely that the brain is no longer able to think clearly. This results in a distorted view of one's own body. You might want to take a peek at the Eating Disorders Board and read some of the posts there.
Can you discuss this with your doctor? What is your diet like?
My diet consists of healthy foods-for the most parts. I eat candy and ice cream, etc. quite a bit though. Yeah i keep on thinking i should discuss with a dr. but my problem is i don't have health insurance and just got married and honestly don't have 100's of dollars to go spend to have someone tell me something i already know. what happens when you discuss with your dr.? like what does he tell you? put you on a certain diet? i also go to the gym about 4 times a week, but don't do any cardio its all weight training i thought that would help a little by getting my body more toned so it wouldn't matter how skinny i was.
Last edited by moderator2; 06-19-2008 at 04:42 PM.
Reason: unnecessary quote
Thing is, BMI isn't enough all by itself to tell you whether or not your weight is right for you. Normal BMI is a little lower for short people, and it can vary a lot depending on your bone structure and muscle mass. It is possible to have a BMI as low as yours and be healthy, I know at least one such person.
As a woman, if you are at least 20, you should have a little bit of "pinchable" fat on you somewhere. Absent or infrequent periods is also evidence of being too thin for your body. If you are still a teen, you might still be putting on mass.
Try to eat more high-calorie healthy foods, such as nuts, dried fruit, lean meat or fish, whole-grain bread, and dairy products with fat left in. This will also help your weight training build muscle.
Some people are just naturally small. Do you have very fine bones, narrow wrists and hips? Does it run in your family?
