Simon had his annual check up recently - it appears all is functioning as it should but his BMI was interesting!
He has been going to the gym, biking and playing some tennis so is in reasonably good shape. The normal stats for height and weight were taken and his BMI (body mass index), an absolute result calculated. Of course one number is of no use unless we have a norm and percentiles to help put it in context. Apparently Simon's BMI means very different things in different parts of the world.
In the US it would imply he is underweight and a little skinny, in the UK he would be Mr Average and in India almost positively obese.
We thought we opt for the middle ground, relish our Britishness and go for the average interpretation.
As well as weight, there are many size anomalies inter-continent. Some are expected like westerners on average being taller and having bigger feet. But in clothes sizes from being a small in the US, a medium in the UK, I am a large in India. Not so good for ones self esteem!
However even eye size it appears is different. A friend was needing to buy new eye glasses in India. Apparently his were going to be more expensive than the norm as the western eye is wider than the Asian and hence frames and lenses had to be imported and hence re expensive. I'm not convinced!
He has been going to the gym, biking and playing some tennis so is in reasonably good shape. The normal stats for height and weight were taken and his BMI (body mass index), an absolute result calculated. Of course one number is of no use unless we have a norm and percentiles to help put it in context. Apparently Simon's BMI means very different things in different parts of the world.
In the US it would imply he is underweight and a little skinny, in the UK he would be Mr Average and in India almost positively obese.
We thought we opt for the middle ground, relish our Britishness and go for the average interpretation.
As well as weight, there are many size anomalies inter-continent. Some are expected like westerners on average being taller and having bigger feet. But in clothes sizes from being a small in the US, a medium in the UK, I am a large in India. Not so good for ones self esteem!
However even eye size it appears is different. A friend was needing to buy new eye glasses in India. Apparently his were going to be more expensive than the norm as the western eye is wider than the Asian and hence frames and lenses had to be imported and hence re expensive. I'm not convinced!
You make it sound as if you'll are 'Gulliver' in Liliput :D :))
ReplyDelete- cheers!