So what is too overweight to dive?

[427Dave]

Quiting smoking is a real big jump... I quit 5 years ago and gained 40 lbs just like that! Darn food taste better and it is something to do instead of lighting up. I have only lost about 20 lbs of it now. I started a regement of walking 3 miles a day 3 years ago. That has really helped also in the diving. When in Aruba I walked 2 miles to the dive shop, even though they said they would pick me up. After some 2 tank dives I did let them take me back however,

 

[Diver Dennis]

Then I'm glad I brought it up Dennis!

I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad.........just think!

For me...stopping smoking was a HUGE advance in the "healthier lifestyle" department - so OK...it's thrown up a new problem! I'm hoping that'll be somewhat easier to deal with...(but I REALLY love Japanese food so it's quite hard!)

MMMMMMMMMMM...Japanese food...

 

[kamfan]

Very interesting topic. I am 43 and have wanted to dive for 25 years, but for a series of health problems, have felt that it was out of my reach. A year ago, I decided with the help of 3 different doctors agreeing that there was no reason not to dive. The problem was that at that time I found myself at 6 feet and weighing 279 lbs. and having very poor fitness. I have spent over nine months loosing 45 lbs and substantially increasing my fitness, working on cardio, strength and flexibility. The carrot at the end of this has been my open water course, which I have just started. I guess it is just me, but there is no way I would have started this course if I felt I could not help myself out of a jam. And if I felt I was putting someone esle at risk because of my own physical limitations, there is no way I would do it. Very interesting topic and very timely for me.

 

[nilsdiver]

I've thought about this a fair amount, not in terms of obesity, but simply in terms of mismatch in sizes. I'm really small, and most of my dive buddies are men who outweigh me by close to a factor of two. I know from Rescue class that there is no way I'm going to be able to drag any of them clear out of the water in an emergency. But I CAN get them clear enough to do CPR and have their faces out of water, and that's what matters most. From there, I'm going to need help. I've brought this up with at least one of my buddies, and he's not terribly worried about it, since we almost always dive where there are lots of other people. And it is what it is, anyway. I'm not going to get any bigger, or a lot stronger, no matter what I do.

So in terms of rescue, I think the obese diver is simply taking a somewhat greater risk than a small person, in terms of how effective others will be in rescue efforts.

I had a simular expierence in my rescue class. I'm the bigest diver of my regular buddies. Both of them are able to carry me out. What I did learn is that two people doing the rescue helps alot. This is one of the reasons I perfer dive teams of 3 people. Having a three person team that know how to work together can reduce the risk caused by weight and strength differences in the team.

Nils

 

[DennisS]

Whales are good at sea.......... if someone gets themselves into trouble they need to be rescued. This means exercising a little personal responsibility. To do that of course one needs to understand what is reasonable or not. So how much is too much? When do you simply become too heavy to expect to be lifted - or combined with age too much at risk from a heart attack...thus endangering those with you that will be called upon to haul your butt out of the water?

If you're in the tropics diving t-shirt it's probably easier to rescue a fat 250 pounder than a body builder 250 pounder.

I'm overweight and 5'7, two of my buddies are 6'2 and 6'3 respectively, they weigh more than me. Do they endanger me because I will be called on to haul their butt out of the water, because they weigh to much, if they need rescuing?

Nope, I do the best I can. If something happens to me, they'll do the best they can. I do have a gin pole, block and tackle set up on my boat for worst case scenarios.

I make my decisions based on the premise that no rescue is available. When I dive solo I endanger no one but myself, if I dive with a buddy it's usually a same ocean dive. Deciding whether to do a dive or not based on my ability to be rescued isn't the way I make my decision.

How do you feel about disabled divers doing dives?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm 5'9", 240 lbs, and will be 55 years old in a couple of weeks.

Some people would say I'm too fat to dive ... and with all due respect most of those people would not be able to keep up with me, in the water or out. I'm not talking about exertion ... I'm talking about endurance.

Cardio health is important ... people in poor physical shape should consider either changing their exercise regimen or finding something else to do. But that isn't necessarily determined by weight ... or age, I have a friend who still dives at 79 (warm water only). He finally gave up windsurfing the Gorge with his grandkids a couple years back, but he can still handle the double-diamond ski slopes just fine.

You really can't tell by looking at somebody's "statistics" whether they're fit to dive or not ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Buoyant1]

I dunno? I'm 43, 6', 305, and have no trouble diving. (ok, I spend at least 4 days at the gym doing 30 minutes of hard cardio, and another 10-20 weight training) I have a grain storage facility, and a comfortable seat to sit upon, but have no trouble at all...

 

[Diver Dennis]

I'm 5'9", 240 lbs, and will be 55 years old in a couple of weeks.

Some people would say I'm too fat to dive ... and with all due respect most of those people would not be able to keep up with me, in the water or out. I'm not talking about exertion ... I'm talking about endurance.

Cardio health is important ... people in poor physical shape should consider either changing their exercise regimen or finding something else to do. But that isn't necessarily determined by weight ... or age, I have a friend who still dives at 79 (warm water only). He finally gave up windsurfing the Gorge with his grandkids a couple years back, but he can still handle the double-diamond ski slopes just fine.

You really can't tell by looking at somebody's "statistics" whether they're fit to dive or not ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I think this is a good point Bob. Just because someone is overweight, does not mean they aren't fit. Conversely, I've seen some pretty skinny people who are very strong and an 81 year old that I dove with in the Philippines a few months ago who, once in the water, was as good as any 22 year old DM. I have also seen fit looking young men who can hardly lift their own tank and had to have the petite female DM lift it up for them...

Tough to make sweeping generalizations.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

I don't get it...

... "fit" and "overweight" just don't go together.

 

[Diver Dennis]

http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/faculty/pbird/keepingfit/ARTICLE/ovfit.HTM

There are a number of studies siting this can be true, if the person exercises. I guess a lot depends on the definition of fat.