Undercurrent--"Why Divers Die"

[boulderjohn]

lol...oh really? Trans fats are outlawed in NYC eateries now.

But that is not an obesity issue. It is because of the other unhealthy aspects of transfats.

 

[almitywife]

According to the BMI measurements......

i hate the BMI calc... put in height and weight and it spits out this number... garbage in garbage out, kinda like a generic horoscope for everyone

hubbys trains 4 days per week, lifts 350lbs in weight training and is mainly muscle but according to bmi calculator he is overweight

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Well, I'm not saying it's as physically demanding as say, bowling.

But, it's certainly more exertion than moving yourself through air. Or sitting on a couch watching TV. If it's the only physical activity someone participates in (and for some, it is) it's more exertion than they're used to. Even if it is low stress conditions. I'd recommend talking to your doctor if you're going from totally sedentary to any kind of diving. Even though it is quite relaxing.

Well, true enough ... but that gets back to my statement that the article painted with too broad a brush, and missed the mark.

The problem, with respect to diver fitness, is a result of improper eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. A person being overweight is a symptom of the problem ... not the problem itself. And it's not the only symptom. A person can be thin and and fit and still stuff their arteries full of cholesterol (if you don't know who Jim Fixx was, Google the name). A person can be thin and sedentary (I see this often enough in OW students), and completely out of shape for diving.

Again ... you point to a series of articles, and note that this was but one of the series. That paints the context in an entirely different light ... but it still misses the point that for a typical recreational diver, being overweight (within reasonable limits) poses no more risk ... and in some cases less risk ... than other lifestyle choices.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[vladimir]

BMI predictions are useful for large-scale studies when more sophisticated measures are unavailable, but the predictioons are often very poor on an individual basis.

This is a good point, which I tried to make in post 77:

While I agree that it does not measure the fitness of an individual, I would be surprised if it isn't a good measure of fitness in a population.

But you have to ask yourself ... wouldn't it be better to encourage those overweight friends to get into diving? After all, if they're underwater they're not on the sofa watching TV ... diving's a great motivator in that respect ... what got me into a daily workout routine was the decision to get into technical diving.

Great point, which I tried to make in post 32:

From the perspective of the fat guy, he is probably better off diving and risking a heart attack than continuing to lay on the couch and insure one. And if a love of diving motivates him to start an exercise regimen, better still.

OK guys, I think we've just about covered it.

 

[vladimir]

i hate the BMI calc... put in height and weight and it spits out this number... garbage in garbage out, kinda like a generic horoscope for everyone

This is why I always get an individualized horoscope; more precise, more scientific.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

This is why I always get an individualized horoscope; more precise, more scientific.

I prefer fortune cookies ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[almitywife]

I prefer fortune cookies ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob owes me a new keyboard!

 

[vladimir]

I prefer fortune cookies ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Thalassamania]

Ditto

 

[captain]

For the majority of divers ... people who dive off of a boat, in placid warm-water conditions using single rigs and AL80 tanks ... diving is not a particularly strenuous activity. Some level of physical fitness is required, but by no means does one have to be an athlete ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

True, the problem is when things turn south and heavy exertion leds to being out of breath, then panic sets in and the snowball gets bigger and bigger