At 12 I did not have a build up of fat to any significant degree around my waist and hips, and certainly not 30+ lb worth of it. What I had, and what I continue to have, which throws off the stupid BMI numbers, is significant muscle mass and big boobs. (Which are genetic - my grandmother was always slim and extremely active, and also very well endowed.)
Furthermore, what bothers me about the BMI and other 'simple' metrics that use height and weight alone is that they are used by people (such as crazy weight watchers lady) who have no education or qualifications in actually determining what constitutes healthy for any given individual. (Which is particularly interesting in light of the fact that recent studies show that as you get older it's actually BETTER to be in the 'overweight' section of the BMI charts - your chances of survival in the event of major health problems goes up significantly, while there is no statistical evidence that your rate of having those major health problems happen is any higher than that of the general supposedly 'normal' weight population.)
And I'm not even going to get into the whole ridiculous issue of encouraging children and teenagers who are still actively growing and developing to restrict their nutritional intake. They didn't need those brain cells they were going to grow with those extra calories anyway! (Or that bone mass, or whatever.)
In short - if my doctor says 'you have issue X for reason Y' relating to my weight, then I will listen and debate it with him, and possibly adjust my behavior if he has reasons for thinking that beyond 'the pretty chart on the wall says so.' Given that no doctor has ever brought up the subject of my weight or fat distribution, I'm going to have to figure that they trump strange Weight-Watchers-Chart-Lady in determining what is or isn't a healthy weight for my body.
no subject
Furthermore, what bothers me about the BMI and other 'simple' metrics that use height and weight alone is that they are used by people (such as crazy weight watchers lady) who have no education or qualifications in actually determining what constitutes healthy for any given individual. (Which is particularly interesting in light of the fact that recent studies show that as you get older it's actually BETTER to be in the 'overweight' section of the BMI charts - your chances of survival in the event of major health problems goes up significantly, while there is no statistical evidence that your rate of having those major health problems happen is any higher than that of the general supposedly 'normal' weight population.)
And I'm not even going to get into the whole ridiculous issue of encouraging children and teenagers who are still actively growing and developing to restrict their nutritional intake. They didn't need those brain cells they were going to grow with those extra calories anyway! (Or that bone mass, or whatever.)
In short - if my doctor says 'you have issue X for reason Y' relating to my weight, then I will listen and debate it with him, and possibly adjust my behavior if he has reasons for thinking that beyond 'the pretty chart on the wall says so.' Given that no doctor has ever brought up the subject of my weight or fat distribution, I'm going to have to figure that they trump strange Weight-Watchers-Chart-Lady in determining what is or isn't a healthy weight for my body.