Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher, currently competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, has openly addressed online criticism about her body mass index (BMI) and weight. In a recent TikTok video, Maher responded to a comment about her BMI of 30, which some use to label her as overweight. She used the opportunity to educate her followers and challenge misconceptions about BMI.
“I think you were trying to roast me, but this is actually a fact,” Maher said.
“I do have a BMI of 30—well, 29.3 to be more exact. I’ve been considered overweight my whole life.”
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, Maher explained that her BMI classification doesn’t accurately reflect her health or athletic capabilities. The BMI scale, which measures body fat based on height and weight, categorizes a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight and 30 or above as obese. However, BMI often fails to account for muscle mass, which is significant in athletes like Maher.
“I have 170 pounds of lean muscle mass,” Maher noted. “BMI doesn’t really tell you what I can do. It doesn’t show how fit I am or what I do on the field. It’s just a number and doesn’t reflect my physical capabilities.”
Maher recalled feeling embarrassed by her BMI during high school but has since learned to view it differently.
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