Is BMI calculated in your AW Health App?

[Newtons Apple]

just asking as after checking my BMI is blank with no data.

If you provide your height and weight in the health app is should be able to calculate BMI and yet mine remains blank. An I doing something wrong?

And I know it would just give an approx indication at best but mine remains blank.

 

[Julien]

I think it is a little like Resting Calories. It could/should but doesn't. I get mine pulled from Withings even though the iPhone is listed as the first Source.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I think it is a little like Resting Calories. It could/should but doesn't. I get mine pulled from Withings even though the iPhone is listed as the first Source.

I find that rather strange as all the info is there and Apple did I not take advantage of it.

 

[BlueMoon63]

just asking as after checking my BMI is blank with no data.

If you provide your height and weight in the health app is should be able to calculate BMI and yet mine remains blank. An I doing something wrong?

And I know it would just give an approx indication at best but mine remains blank.

I think BMI is the worst type of measurement feature and should never be used!

I say that because BMI is just not intuitive enough. I am 6'4 and my BF is 15-16% and it says my BMI is 25 and I am obese. BMI doesn't know muscle mass so it is a wild estimate. The Rock is listed as obese and needs to lose 50 pounds and we all know he doesn't need to lose weight or at least he isn't obese.

Now, if the watch had sensors to measure impedance it might be a little more accurate but you can't measure BMI without knowing a heck of a lot more than just height and weight. Add in neck size, chest size, weight size/hip and several more body measurements.

 

[srshaw]

I just think Apple health (and the watch app) is just rubbish. Come on Apple, the watch is collecting loads of data, surely there are better ways of displaying it.

I think Apple needs to look at Garmin and especially Fitbit. Their websites and apps are such better then Apple's offerings so far.

 

[exxxviii]

I think BMI is the worst type of measurement feature and should never be used!

I agree, in part. I am officially obese, but I know that is bogus. For the vast majority of humans, I mean like more than 90%, BMI works OK. It is only the athletes that regularly lift weights and exercise in muscle-building sports that get a bad BMI. But that is just a personal problem.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I think BMI is the worst type of measurement feature and should never be used!

I say that because BMI is just not intuitive enough. I am 6'4 and my BF is 15-16% and it says my BMI is 25 and I am obese. BMI doesn't know muscle mass so it is a wild estimate. The Rock is listed as obese and needs to lose 50 pounds and we all know he doesn't need to lose weight or at least he isn't obese.

Now, if the watch had sensors to measure impedance it might be a little more accurate but you can't measure BMI without knowing a heck of a lot more than just height and weight. Add in neck size, chest size, weight size/hip and several more body measurements.

I can not disagree with your thoughts on BMI. My question is still why Apple put it in their Health app and choose not to use it as it has the data to calculate it.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I just think Apple health (and the watch app) is just rubbish. Come on Apple, the watch is collecting loads of data, surely there are better ways of displaying it.

I think Apple needs to look at Garmin and especially Fitbit. Their websites and apps are such better then Apple's offerings so far.

I could not agree more and hope that Apple give us an giant Health app update soon. Fitbit and Garmin spoiled me for sure.

 

[Julien]

I just think Apple health (and the watch app) is just rubbish. Come on Apple, the watch is collecting loads of data, surely there are better ways of displaying it.

I think Apple needs to look at Garmin and especially Fitbit. Their websites and apps are such better then Apple's offerings so far.

Wile I agree, it is the 1st year and will probably get better. Also I think Health is more of a repository of data that an analytic tool. Apple just wants a central protected area that can hold all heath/fitness data that other apps can use to analyze.

 

[exxxviii]

My question is still why Apple put it in their Health app and choose not to use it as it has the data to calculate it.

Because the Health app is a steaming turd. I stand by my assessment. Apple just needs to buy Fitbit (a little tougher now with the IPO), fire all of Apple's existing morons who designed the current HR/Activity/Workout-Activity/Health app stack, and hand the keys over to FB to make it all better.

 

[BlueMoon63]

I can not disagree with your thoughts on BMI. My question is still why Apple put it in their Health app and choose not to use it as it has the data to calculate it.

First version is my guess and I am hoping they do so much more with the health app. Even the resting calories from other apps are wrong on mine. I agree with you. So much data is being gathered from sources and it would be a good app to develop patterns and trends from the data.

They have your height and weight and sex and age so they can easily post your resting calories with several formulas. Same for combining with other data. I just don't trust BMI without all of the above and all measurements bit collected.

 

[srshaw]

Wile I agree, it is the 1st year and will probably get better. Also I think Health is more of a repository of data that an analytic tool. Apple just wants a central protected area that can hold all heath/fitness data that other apps can use to analyze.

I agree the health App just stores the data, but it is the only one that shows graphs. The other app that shows the rings is pretty poor as well.

As you say, this is their first go, and with the watch there was a lot of other stuff to do as well. Has anyone tried ios9? I wonder if there are any updates...

 

[Julien]

...Has anyone tried ios9? I wonder if there are any updates...

Not a lot but Health has a vertical graph view. You can also pick which data to display and Activity has Splits timing and importing data from other Apps.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Looks like you were kicking it on that 6th mile!

 

[Julien]

Looks like you were kicking it on that 6th mile!

Actually this is not too accurate. That is the Peachtree 10K and Watch measured as only 5.93 miles. So it is showing a 0.93 miles pace which is still wrong. My official time was 47:48. The Peachtree 10K is a hard race because it is so crowded (60,000), a little hilly (4 goes up cardiac hill) and it was raining that day (7/4). Here is a more accurate split timing from my Garmin 620.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I miss Atlanta. Lived in Snellville long ago but saw it was getting too crowded. Worked in Chamblee and had to take the 85/285 to get home. The traffic was horrendous! Friday it seems rush hour would start at noon!

 

[Arran]

My BMI data is in Health, but it comes straight from my Withings scale.

Maybe the reason it isn't calculated by Health is that the primary function of Health (as far as I can tell) is to be a data repository. Not a computing engine. (EDIT: I see Julien came to the same conclusion)

The algorithm for computation of BMI and its subsequent use as a health metric seems to be contentious. Probably why Apple Health avoids it.