“Ooooh, she thick!” That’s usually a phrase that is used in a good way. Some men say they don’t want a woman who is too skinny, so being “thick” is in. But what is “too thick” when it comes to our health?

“Thick” and “obese” are not interchangeable terms. “Thick” is a subjective descriptor often used to describe someone with a larger build, particularly in their hips and thighs, and can be associated with a healthy amount of muscle and fat. “Obese,” on the other hand, is a medical term based on a person’s Body Mass Index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight). A BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity.

With the term “thick” rapidly being accepted as embracing a few extra pounds, fitness champion and author Laticia “Action” Jackson cautions Black women to put aside the images portrayed to us in our homes, communities, as well as mass media and take control of our well-being. Recently, BlackDoctor.org had the opportunity to catch up with the 2008 fitness Olympian who stressed the urgency of making time for us.

“One of the things I really try to encourage women is I don’t care if you only get 20 minutes, doing something for yourself each day is important,” she said.

One of the most used tools to define healthy weight is the Body Mass Index, but did you know it was never designed for Black women or even nonwhite populations?

The first thing to know about the BMI is that it was created by a Belgian mathematician, not a doctor or health practitioner. In the 1830s, Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet set out not to devise a test to quickly diagnose obesity. But Quetelet’s experiment had big limitations.

For one, all the participants were Western European men. The experiment also had nothing to do with measuring individual health. Despite its outdated origins, doctors still use BMI today to diagnose obesity and health risks.

Why is BMI inaccurate for Black women?

* Black women naturally have more muscle mass than white women. Muscle weighs more than fat, making BMI higher.

* Denser bones, meaning we might weigh more but not carry excess fat.

* Black women often store fat in the hips, thighs and buttocks instead of the stomach, which is less harmful metabolically.

Studies have shown that Black women with a BMI in the “overweight” or “obese” range can still have perfectly normal blood pressure, cholesterol and metabolic health – proving that BMI alone is not a reliable indicator of health.

If BMI is inaccurate, what should we use to determine health?

* Waist-to-hip ratio measures where fat is stored, a better predictor of health than BMI. Fat stored around the stomach increases the risk of heart disease. Fat stored in the hips, thighs and butt is less harmful and may even be protective against some diseases.

* Blood work and metabolic health: High blood pressure is a bigger health risk than weight itself.

* Blood sugar (A1C Levels) helps detect diabetes risk. Cholesterol levels – high HDL (“good” cholesterol) is a positive health sign.

Bottom line: Your weight alone doesn’t determine health.

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