Whether they practice to perform or simply to keep the line, all athletes watch their weight. And Body Mass Index, this small data quickly calculated by dividing its weight by the square of its height, often appears as a good tool to evaluate it. But is this really the case? “No” answers Pierre Thomas, specialist in sports dietetics. “This is interesting data in general medicine, because it provides an indication of your state of health. For athletes, it’s different.”
False data for some athletes
“Attention ,continues the expertI am not talking about all sportsmen, but about all those who do sport more than ten hours a week or practice disciplines that develop muscles.
For what ? Quite simply because if you are a bodybuilding enthusiast, for example, the BMI becomes false data: “It does not take into account the difference in density between fat and muscle. However, muscle weighs more than fat. If yours are very developed, you will be heavier than the norm and your BMI will therefore be higher than it should be.”
In short, if you do one or two jogs a week or practice archery, this famous index should be enough. If you’re pro, semi-pro, or lift a lot of cast iron, better rely on other tools. But which ones?
Bet on impedancemetry
“The ideal is the impedancemetry measurements, which make it possible in particular to evaluate the fat mass.” But be careful, however: most impedance meters sold on the market are not reliable.
“The best indicator remains in my opinion your own feeling of form, details the dietitian. And for the measurement of fat mass, it is better to use tweezers, which are reserved for professionals. The 1 or 2 euro plastic models that you find on the market are not reliable either.”
The solution, then? Go see a healthcare professional. “Without going as far as follow-up, you can already do a small check-up which will allow you to have all the necessary data on your body. It costs between 50 and 80 euros, and you leave with personalized documents. Taking your health in hand is important.” But you probably already suspected that!
Read also:
- BMI or IMG: what’s the difference?
- Waist circumference, more reliable than BMI?
- How do you know your ideal weight?
