BMI and resistance to getting sick: General Health

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I was playing the Wii at work (yes I get to play video games at work, it's a rough job). I was on the Wii Fit and it said that people with a BMI (body mass index) of 22 are most resistant to getting sick. I wonder why that is?!? I am going to look it up, not that I will ever get to 22 because it said I need to lose 18 lbs. to get to that BMI, but it got me curious. If anyone finds the answer before me please post it so I can stop looking!

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Hmm, that's interesting. My BMI is about 22.5. I feel like I get sick more than a lot of people! I used to get sick ALL of the time, but I stopped getting sick so much once I started drinking green tea on a daily basis. I thought that was helping my resistance to getting sick, not my BMI. I wonder why 22 is said to be the most resistant though?

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

There's got to be some sort of catch.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I'm sure people with 22 still get sick, they are just the ones that are stereotypically the healthiest so when we compare healthy people to not-quite-as-healthy people, people with 22 are not going to get as sick and recover faster from being sick.

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I don't think I've been sick any more now that I'm overweight than I ever have been the rest of my life. The only real difference has been in the last few years where I don't cough since I quit smoking.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I'm sure the study showed the average of everybody in that index and 22 had the healthiest amount of people... so it's not to say that it is the be all and end all best BMI out there.

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