Home / Big Fat Lies / Headlines
June 7, 2005
Pitt Stained By Bogus BMI
Actor Brad Pitt, who stars in the action-comedy Mr. And Mrs. Smith opening Friday, is many things. Rich. Talented. Attractive. And overweight.
Actor Brad Pitt, who stars in the action-comedy Mr. And Mrs. Smith opening Friday, is many things. Rich. Talented. Attractive. And overweight.
The same government standard responsible for telling us that 65 percent of Americans are "overweight" or "obese" classifies this hunk as a chunk. Pitt, who plays an assassin-for-hire in his new flick, has been gunned down by the Body Mass Index (BMI), a measurement that separates us into government-approved and officially fat categories by taking into consideration only our height and weight. A BMI of 25 or more makes you overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more makes you obese. At a reported six feet tall and just over 200 pounds, Pitt's BMI is a pleasantly plump 28.
Pitt, of course, is not alone. Take his Ocean's 12 co-stars, Matt Damon and George Clooney. They're also "overweight."
And from the big screen to the big game: Superstar NBA player Shaquille O'Neal is considered "obese," while basketball's LeBron James, baseball great Alex Rodriguez, and U.S. swimmer Gary Hall Jr. are all officially "overweight."
To find out more about how the bogus BMI fuels obesity myths and helps those looking to cash in on public hysteria, click here. To find out if the government thinks you're as "fat" as Brad Pitt, check out our BMI calculator.
email us comments