How Thin Is Too Thin?

[EmptyHead]

Hi all!

I think my partner is very underweight. She is 44kg and her height is about 160cm (37 year-old female). Acorrding to BMI calculators she underweight and should be between 47.4kg -64.3kg to be a healthy weight for her statistics.

However, she doesn't feel sick or anything and has more or less been this weight for most of her life. She still has plenty of energy and a great appetite.

But I am concerned it may affect her health in the future.

I would like to hear from people's experience if it will or won't affect her health, and if so, then how?

And perhaps some advice from women as to how i should approach the topic without offending her (i would like her to put on a few kg).

Any thoughts?

[sirocco]

if it is a thai, this is normal. Thai women are not skinny, but slim. Their silhouette is different from European or other women, and their bones are small.

This is a notice of a woman.

[Sheryl]

If you are correct about her exact weight and height then she has a BMI of only 17 which is most definitely not normal for a Thai woman or anybody else. In fact it qualifies as malnourished.

But I note you said her height was "about" 160 so these parameters may be off. Suggest you find out her exact ht.

If her BMI really is below 18.5 then see if you can get her to see a doctor for a check up and let the doctor tell her she is undernourished. If on the other hand her BMI is say 18.6 - 19, she's thin but not malnourished and you will probably just have to live with it. Being very thin is in fashion among Thai women and you are up against strong social norms.

[h90]

If she feels well and eats enough, I doubt there is a problem.......

Also consider that the BMI is made for Western people. A 1.6 Meter German Brunhild is built different. broader shoulders, heavier bones....

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Follow Sheryl's advice and check her height then calculate her exact BMI.

If she is underweight, then just have the appropriate sized silicon breast implants inserted.

Problem solved.

[chiang mai]

My experience of BMI is not good, for over twenty five years I was 6 foot three and 160 lbs, no amount of extra food intake, supplements, exercise or anything else would let me gain weight, at one point I was eating over 4,000 calories a day and I never gained a more than two pounds. Successive doctors confirmed all was well medically and that I was naturally thin, my BMI was scary. In later life I began to gain weight, I'm now 185lbs which is starting to become the opposite problem!

So yes, check with the doctor and if all is well, recognize that there are ectomorphs and endomorphs, neither of which is an illness or disease.

[canman]

Is there any validity to statements such as western woman are heavier boned, larger frames etc. than asian woman for example? I suspect it is not true and that height for height the bones are going to be more or less the same.

[chiang mai]

The BMI cut off points for obesity and disease for Asian people is not the same as for westerners:

http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/bmi_asia_strategies.pdf

[Sheryl]

As I said, a BMI of under 18.5 equals malnutrition and this applies to Thai women and even to women in countries where average size and body build is a whole lot smaller.

A BMI of 17 is seriously malnourished. However I have some doubts about the accuracy of the height given and suspect she is shorter than 160.

[GuyL]

As I said, a BMI of under 18.5 equals malnutrition and this applies to Thai women and even to women in countries where average size and body build is a whole lot smaller.

A BMI of 17 is seriously malnourished. However I have some doubts about the accuracy of the height given and suspect she is shorter than 160.

My wife's BMI is slightly below 17 (weight: 38 kg, height: 150 cm, checked several times, including at the local hospital). She might have been malnourished in the past, but I can assure you that it is not the case anymore and has not been for more than 12 years. Her maximum weight during this period was 42 kg (after a few months stay in Europe during winter) and she then thought and said that she was fat! Currently, she often eat more than me on a daily basis! Apparently, it's not unusual for Asian women to have a very low BMI, at least, that's what I have noticed around me, but I don't know whether or not it's because most of those women have been malnourished when they were younger (it's quite possible, as many women that I know locally come from poor rural families).

[h90]

Is there any validity to statements such as western woman are heavier boned, larger frames etc. than asian woman for example? I suspect it is not true and that height for height the bones are going to be more or less the same.

I think alone the shoulders and hips are much wider. Some of the Thai women look like children in compare.

[EmptyHead]

Ok, so Sheryl was right.

I called her to ask her height and she said "about" 156cm. (I shall check her ID card for exact height once we reunite).

That now makes her BMI 18, right? Better than before at least. But i do still worry about her. With clothes on she looks normal, but with clothes off you can see her ribs (even from the back), her spine, hip bones, and collar bones. When i say you can see them, i do mean slightly. They aren't sticking out really bad, but if she was any thinner they would be.

Thanks for all the the posts, by the way. I have mentioned about going to the doc to see if she may have tapeworm or something like that. She laughs and says ok she may go, but feels fine. She lives in a village in Isaan so tapeworm could be a possibility. But if the doc says she is healthy, i will be happy with that.

She knows herself she is thin and often says 47kg would be the perfect weight for her, but once she was offended when someone told her she was fat at 50kg. When i first met her she used to eat donuts to try to gain weight actually, i have seen her thinner than this, i am sure. A lot of contradictions in here i know, but such as life, i suppose.

We have been together for 5 years and have a child so i don't feel like i could offend her too badly, i just wanted to seek advice from folks here about what normal weight is for a girl, and if she is clinically malnourished how best to approach that.

Anyway, thanks again and any further comments to this thread are much appreciated. I think this is a thread which could be useful to many people. There may be a lot of people in Thailand like me who are concerned about the loved ones weight.

Edited August 21, 2014 by EmptyHead

[Sheryl]

Yes sounds like her BMI is somewhere in the range of 18-18.3. This is just mild underweight whereas 17 would be severe.

BTW undernutrition in the past has nothing to do with a low BMI since height is accounted for. The main effect of undernutrition in childhood is stunting i.e. short height. BMI is a measure of weight relative to height. Being small boned generally goes along with being of shorter stature.

[GuyL]

[...] BTW undernutrition in the past has nothing to do with a low BMI since height is accounted for. The main effect of undernutrition in childhood is stunting i.e. short height. BMI is a measure of weight relative to height. Being small boned generally goes along with being of shorter stature.

That's interesting. Then, I don't know why my wife's (and apparently many other Asian women's) BMI is so low even though she is far from being malnourished. She is still in her early thirties and that might change in the not too distant future, but she has always been slim (and apparently quite healthy so far). I've noticed that most people start to put on weight when they reach 40, even though they don't eat more, but it's usually related with a less active (sportive) or more sedentary life.

[belg]

sadly my wife has become over the years, twice the weight of your wife now ... who wants to F a big flubber, i certainly do not see any appeal ... when i talk to her about how unhealthy it is , she is not happy because of the weight, but for the rest, does nothing... no exercise, and still eat like a pig

[abhaya]

If it feels like you're riding a racing bicycle when you are sha**ing her, she's too thin.

[monkeycountry]

[...] BTW undernutrition in the past has nothing to do with a low BMI since height is accounted for. The main effect of undernutrition in childhood is stunting i.e. short height. BMI is a measure of weight relative to height. Being small boned generally goes along with being of shorter stature.

That's interesting. Then, I don't know why my wife's (and apparently many other Asian women's) BMI is so low even though she is far from being malnourished. She is still in her early thirties and that might change in the not too distant future, but she has always been slim (and apparently quite healthy so far). I've noticed that most people start to put on weight when they reach 40, even though they don't eat more, but it's usually related with a less active (sportive) or more sedentary life.

"She is still in her early thirties and that might change in the not too distant future"

Yes, that is likely

[h90]

sadly my wife has become over the years, twice the weight of your wife now ... who wants to F a big flubber, i certainly do not see any appeal ... when i talk to her about how unhealthy it is , she is not happy because of the weight, but for the rest, does nothing... no exercise, and still eat like a pig

same same here.......While she doesn't eat that much, she doesn't move as well

[Jingthing]

I think it would be prudent to be evaluated by a good doctor to determine if this case of underweight is a health concern or not.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Underweightadults.aspx

Why being underweight is bad for you

Being underweight can be bad for your health now and in the future, for the following reasons:

• If you are underweight, you are more likely to be lacking vital nutrients that your body needs to grow and work properly. Calcium, for example, is important for the maintenance of strong and healthy bones. Being underweight increases the risk of osteoporosis (fragile bone disease) later in life.
• If you're not consuming enough iron, you may developanaemia (a lack of red blood cells), which leaves you feeling drained and tired.
• Your immune system is not 100% when you’re underweight, making you more likely to catch a cold, the flu or other infections.
• For women, you may have interrupted periods and find it difficult to become pregnant. Women who are underweight can find that their periods stop. This increases the risk ofproblems with fertility.

I have read in the past that being underweight can even lead to unnecessary death from common ailments such as diarrhea because there aren't enough RESERVES in place. Also probably off topic but it is now known that overweight people have better survival rates in case of heart attacks. Not suggesting a person become overweight for that benefit of course but keep in mind underweight people can get heart attacks too.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Jingthing

[GuyL]

[...] BTW undernutrition in the past has nothing to do with a low BMI since height is accounted for. The main effect of undernutrition in childhood is stunting i.e. short height. BMI is a measure of weight relative to height. Being small boned generally goes along with being of shorter stature.

That's interesting. Then, I don't know why my wife's (and apparently many other Asian women's) BMI is so low even though she is far from being malnourished. She is still in her early thirties and that might change in the not too distant future, but she has always been slim (and apparently quite healthy so far). I've noticed that most people start to put on weight when they reach 40, even though they don't eat more, but it's usually related with a less active (sportive) or more sedentary life.

"She is still in her early thirties and that might change in the not too distant future"

Yes, that is likely

555! Well spotted!

[ianf]

Is there any validity to statements such as western woman are heavier boned, larger frames etc. than asian woman for example? I suspect it is not true and that height for height the bones are going to be more or less the same.

I think that one of the issues is that many Thai women from rural/poor communities were undernourished as children so their bones did not develop in the same was as Western kids/girls who ate a regular 3-meals a day including many calcium rich and fatty foods. I have noticed that half-thai half farang girls are larger and so are wealthier Thai children. My wife comes from a poor mountain family. She weighs 39kg and is 158cm tall. I wouldn't say that she is unhealthy. She eats well, uses a lot of vitamin supplements and exercises on a daily basis. She's very strong: indeed her power to weight ratio may well be off the scale! As a five year old she walked 5km to school and 5km back most days. When at home she walked in the mountains with the family foraging for food and so on. I think this is the real clue. Anyway her BMI is 15.6 (seriously underweight) and she would have to weigh 60 kilos to be in the normal range. Given the fact that she has very small bones, a weight of 60kg for her would be ridiculous. So my view on the BMI is that it does not necessarily apply to Thai women.

Edited August 21, 2014 by ianf

[David48]

As the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson once said ... "you can never be too thin or too rich"

OP ... you worry too much.

.

[csabo]

Is there any validity to statements such as western woman are heavier boned, larger frames etc. than asian woman for example? I suspect it is not true and that height for height the bones are going to be more or less the same.

True. People always talk about big bones but I have yet to see a fat skeleton.

[franck1972]

My gf is 1,66m and 47kg, that's almost the same as yours.

Well she's slim by european standards, but she's definitely not skinny, nothing to worry about.

Seems like this BMI is based on caucasian populations.

SE Asian have a different body type, less "stocky" than european or american.

Maybe a BMI of 18 for a european is like a BMI of 16 for an asian ?

As long as she's over 40 kg, there's nothing to worry about I think.

[HooHaa]

my girlfriend is too thin - definitely not a a candidate for first world problems

[HooHaa]

Is there any validity to statements such as western woman are heavier boned, larger frames etc. than asian woman for example? I suspect it is not true and that height for height the bones are going to be more or less the same.

I think that one of the issues is that many Thai women from rural/poor communities were undernourished as children so their bones did not develop in the same was as Western kids/girls who ate a regular 3-meals a day including many calcium rich and fatty foods. I have noticed that half-thai half farang girls are larger and so are wealthier Thai children. My wife comes from a poor mountain family. She weighs 39kg and is 158cm tall. I wouldn't say that she is unhealthy. She eats well, uses a lot of vitamin supplements and exercises on a daily basis. She's very strong: indeed her power to weight ratio may well be off the scale! As a five year old she walked 5km to school and 5km back most days. When at home she walked in the mountains with the family foraging for food and so on. I think this is the real clue. Anyway her BMI is 15.6 (seriously underweight) and she would have to weigh 60 kilos to be in the normal range. Given the fact that she has very small bones, a weight of 60kg for her would be ridiculous. So my view on the BMI is that it does not necessarily apply to Thai women.

i will echo this, my child at 4 was larger or as large as than many of the local 7-8 year olds we encountered while travelling around the country.

[Robert24]

Sounds about normal for an Asian woman. I don't think you need to worry about it.

[shaurene]

Hi Mate my wife is 41kg she is 44 8 yrs ago she was 48kg when I meet her she eats ok and is healthy with a million dollar body, she is around the same hight as yours, don't worry about it their body's get rid of fat. Some Thai lady's can get very fat and they hate it. It is what they eat, fish and veggies and rice. I try to get her to have a bacon sarny with me but she will not here, but in New Zealand she will have one with me and also have a good breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms but cannot eat much of it.

[AsiaCheese]

The BMI definitions of where thin or obese start can't be applied 1:1 on peoples from different continents. Asian people are generally quite a bit lighter than their Western counterparts; it's quite normal for ladies in Thailand between 155 and 160 cm to weigh between 45 and 50 kg. Now compared to the officially seriously obese 60% of the US population, that would make them "a lot slimmer", but certainly neither thin and certainly not undernourished. For a long time in the distant (in Europe) and not so distant (in Asia) past, people aimed at getting/being "well rounded", because it was a sign of prosperity. And there was (and still is) that tale of "reserves" that are somehow magically buried in too much body fat and "help" when you're seriously sick - not so. To the contrary: there are pretty severe risks with being obese (see here: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/risks.html). The bottom line: if your totally normal-weight lady feels good with her body weight - great, leave it at that!

[naresh]

In the sub-tropics , one must pay attention to parasites /worms /amoebas etc .....esp. if one eats out ....one 'should' dissinfect all food .....i would most certainly check for parasites etc and de-worming is easy [see pharmacy] .....'wheat' is undigestable ....also Thailand is the 'sugar factory ' ......check for parasites ....