Q J Med 1999; 92: 418
© 1999 Association of Physicians
Correspondence |
Nomenclature of optimal BMI: slim's the word
Department of Psychology, University of Newcastle
Sir,
Researchers into subjects such as obesity, anorexia nervosa, and body shape are currently hampered by the lack of any generally accepted expression for people whose body mass index (BMI1) is within the optimal range. Those with excessive BMI are termed fat or obese, those with too low a BMI are called thin—but there is no word for those whose BMI lies between the undesirable extremes. We suggest that the word `slim' should be adopted to describe people of `optimal' BMI—those who are neither fat nor thin, and whose BMI is presumed to be near that which is the most healthy and attractive.2–4
Slim has the advantage of being a familiar word (at least in the UK) and of having positive connotations—to be called slim is a compliment. Furthermore, in a world where mild to moderate obesity is endemic, slim is correctly used to refer to those who are somewhat below the population average weight for their height. The only disadvantage of `slim' is that when used to describe women it tends to conjure-up a willowish profile—shapely but not curvaceous. This may indeed be the appearance associated with an optimal BMI for tall women, but shorter women whose BMI is rated as optimally attractive and who are most fertile tend to have a more `hour-glass' figure.3,5
With this note of caution, and given the convenience of using an everyday term—we suggest that in future when it comes to describing optimal BMI—slim's the word.
References
1. Bray GA. Definition, measurement and classification of the syndromes of obesity. Int J Obesity 1979; 2:99–112.[Web of Science][Medline]
2.
Manson JE, Willet WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Hunter DJ, Hankinson SE, Hennekens CH, Speizer FE. Body weight and mortality among women. N Engl J Med 1995; 333:677.
3. Tovee MJ, Mason S, Emery JL, McClusky SE, Cohen-Tovee EM. Super models: stick insects or hour glasses. Lancet 1997; 350:1474–5.[Web of Science][Medline]
4. Tovee MJ, Reinhardt S, Emery JL, Cornelissen PL. Optimal BMI and maximum sexual attractiveness. Lancet 1998; 352:548.[Medline]
5. Zaadstra BM, Seidell JC, Van Noord PAH, Velde ER, Habbema JDF, Vrieswijk B, Karbaat J. Fat and Fecundity: prospective study of effect of body fat distribution on conception rates. Br Med J 1993; 306:484–7.
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