The National Football League has flagged the Body Mass Index (BMI) standard as “bogus.” The BMI provides the basis for a widely reported new study, published in the medical journal JAMA, which found that 57 percent of professional football players are “obese” and 97 percent are “overweight.” No wonder the NFL is demanding an instant replay, calling the study “bogus for using players’ body-mass index, a height-to-weight ratio that doesn’t consider body muscle versus fat.”
Football players are hardly the only victims of the BMI. According to the silly standard, 43 of 50 players in the last World Series, more than 75 of America’s 2004 Olympians, and actors such as Matt Damon and Tom Cruise are officially too fat. While no one doubts linemen are frequently mucho gordo, here are some of the supposedly “obese” super-fit star players:
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, at 6’2″ and 240 pounds, has a BMI of 31.
Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, at 6’4″ and 264 pounds, has a BMI of 32.
Titans quarterback Steve McNair, at 6’2″ and 235 pounds, has a BMI of 30.
Patriots running back Corey Dillon, at 6’1″ and 225 pounds, has a BMI of 30.
Steelers running back Duce Staley, at 5’11” and 242 pounds, has a BMI of 34.
