Too Fat for 15

[FleurGirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

They are both overweight ("fat" just sounds mean).

I didn't say they weren't overweight, but I wouldn't really consider that "fat". And the show is called "Too Fat for 15".
I wish these kids all the best, I hope they make some positive changes in their lives. Unfortunately I think a lot of these shows go too far and exercise some really unhealthy weight loss practices. Here's hoping it's not another one of those.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by FleurGirl

I didn't say they weren't overweight, but I wouldn't really consider that "fat".

Merriam-Webster:
fat
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): fat·ter; fat·test
1 : notable for having an unusual amount of fat: a : plump b : obese

I'm sure they are over 40% bodyfat and they are obese (which increases the likelihood of having high bodyfat, although smaller sized people can also have unusual amounts of bodyfat). If "fat" didn't sound so mean, I'd call them "fat." Perhaps they chose that show title because it gets more people's attention.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Merriam-Webster:
fat
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): fat·ter; fat·test
1 : notable for having an unusual amount of fat: a : plump b : obese

I'm sure they are over 20% bodyfat and they are obese (which increases the likelihood of having high bodyfat, although smaller sized people can also have unusual amounts of bodyfat). If "fat" didn't sound so mean, I'd call them "fat." Perhaps they chose that show title because it gets more people's attention.

BMI can be very inaccurate for people who are extremely athletic, but for the rest of us it's a fairly useful indicator. A reading of 20% for adult women actually falls very solidly in the healthy range. 25.0-29.9 is an overweight range, and you are considered obese at 30. For a 15 year old girl 18-26 is the healthy range I believe, so 20% would be very healthy. These kids are certainly 26+.

You can get your BMI from an instant internet table, but for "thin" people your doctor can get a little more complicated. I don't remember exactly what my doctor did to determine my body fat was out of proportion, but it was extremely high though my weight was in fact very healthy. This is why thin people who do not eat well or exercise can be "fat".

[DrPhil]

I meant to type "over 40%." That's a generalization and probably an exaggeration for some of the teens but the point is that they have an unusual amount of bodyfat and are overweight.