Hazardous waist
I’m not a huge rugby fan. It’s all too…..well…..rough! And chaotic. I struggle to follow the game, probably because I don’t really understand the rules. I did play for a while, at school, but as a 13 year old, and a short, late developer I took too many thumps from prematurely pubertal boys with large biceps and stubbly chins as I made feeble attempts to tackle them. Rugby hurt too much! I have always thought that football is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans, and rugby is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen. Sometimes.
I do however admire their professionalism and athleticism and have watched a few internationals in the Six Nations championship during the past few weeks. And it caused me to think about the long argued concept of fat versus fit. Can you be both? It only takes one look at a professional rugby field to see that all of the players are superbly fit, but also, that many of them are fat. Or are they?
We have used the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of fatness for more than a century. BMI is a formula using height and weight to calculate fatness. A BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, and anything above that is overweight, and above 30 is considered obese. Problem is it’s not always accurate. It doesn’t discriminate between weight that is comprised of fat, and that from bone or muscle. And that’s where rugby players become part of the debate. Because of the incredible muscle bulk they carry they are often, clinically speaking, obese, with a BMI over 30. But measure their waist line, or their body fat using a special set of scales, and they are often found to have low levels of body fat. Their weight is high, but their body fat isn’t. And that’s why it is sometimes possible to be both “fat”, and fit. Jono Lomu, the famous New Zealand rugby international had, in his heyday, a BMI of 32 (“obese”). I met a doctor who knew him during a lecture tour to New Zealand, and she told me his waistline was 34 inches (definitely not obese). He was superbly built, and strong, but had hardly any body fat.
That said, not too many of my patients are athletes. So BMI is still applicable to the majority of us. But if you want to take an extra measure of your fatness, or thinness, measuring your waistline might help you. For men, a waistline over 35 inches (90cm) would be considered overweight. And for women it’s a waistline of 32 inches (80 cm). So next time you’re watching the rugby, ask yourself if they’re fat, or fit. The rule doesn’t always apply though, and even rugby players aren’t exempt from having a weight problem. It’s good to use both BMI and waist measurement to determine if there’s a significant health risk. And remember it’s the fat around your middle that causes the health problems that develop from being overweight. Seen any “hazardous waist” lately? Good reason to start a waist disposal programme today………….
Dr Ian Campbell
Hazardous waist
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By Dr Ian Campbell March 2011
I’m not a huge rugby fan. It’s all too…..well…..rough! And chaotic. I struggle to follow the game, probably because I don’t really understand the rules. I did play for a while, at school, but as a 13 year old, and a short, late developer I took too many thumps from prematurely pubertal boys with large biceps and stubbly chins as I made feeble attempts to tackle them. Rugby hurt too much! I have always thought that football is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans, and rugby is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen. Sometimes.
I do however admire their professionalism and athleticism and have watched a few internationals in the Six Nations championship during the past few weeks. And it caused me to think about the long argued concept of fat versus fit. Can you be both? It only takes one look at a professional rugby field to see that all of the players are superbly fit, but also, that many of them are fat. Or are they?
We have used the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of fatness for more than a century. BMI is a formula using height and weight to calculate fatness. A BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, and anything above that is overweight, and above 30 is considered obese. Problem is it’s not always accurate. It doesn’t discriminate between weight that is comprised of fat, and that from bone or muscle. And that’s where rugby players become part of the debate. Because of the incredible muscle bulk they carry they are often, clinically speaking, obese, with a BMI over 30. But measure their waist line, or their body fat using a special set of scales, and they are often found to have low levels of body fat. Their weight is high, but their body fat isn’t. And that’s why it is sometimes possible to be both “fat”, and fit. Jono Lomu, the famous New Zealand rugby international had, in his heyday, a BMI of 32 (“obese”). I met a doctor who knew him during a lecture tour to New Zealand, and she told me his waistline was 34 inches (definitely not obese). He was superbly built, and strong, but had hardly any body fat.
That said, not too many of my patients are athletes. So BMI is still applicable to the majority of us. But if you want to take an extra measure of your fatness, or thinness, measuring your waistline might help you. For men, a waistline over 35 inches (90cm) would be considered overweight. And for women it’s a waistline of 32 inches (80 cm). So next time you’re watching the rugby, ask yourself if they’re fat, or fit. The rule doesn’t always apply though, and even rugby players aren’t exempt from having a weight problem. It’s good to use both BMI and waist measurement to determine if there’s a significant health risk. And remember it’s the fat around your middle that causes the health problems that develop from being overweight. Seen any “hazardous waist” lately? Good reason to start a waist disposal programme today………….
Tags: BMI, body fat, fitness, measure waist