This video from Vox explores BMI and why it is not an accurate measure of health, mainly logos is used to support the author's stance. Right off the bat the reoprter, Gina Barton, compares her two assistants, Coleman and Phil. Both have similar heights and weight, and as a result, virtually the BMI, but internally they have different percentages of fat and muscle, with Phil having more body fat and Coleman having more muscle. This introduction is the first logical appeal, causing the audience to wonder: "Why is it that this flawed measure is used to detect serious diseases, like diabetes?," and this question lingers until the end of the video. A professor at George Washington University, Todd Miller, is used to appeal to credibility. Miller is a professor, making his information on the formula BMI feel just that much more meaningful. He states that BMI is "the body weight in kilograms, divided by height in square meters" and gives his own reason for the problem with BMI. Specifically for those with lots of muscle, a marker of physical fitness. Here Barton uses the athlete, Marshawn Lynch. Following the formula, Lynch's BMI is 30.0, the exact number needed to be considered obese, however Lynch is not obese, he is very muscular. This the second logical appeal. Barton then proceeds to explain the history of BMI, it was originally made to study the "common man", but later shifted to obesity. She even tells that there are other ways to measure health by fat and muscle, but presumptuously they aren't used because BMI is a fast, cheap, and generally correct measurement option. Emotionally, the information about how many athletes have a high BMI is shocking an proves just how unreliable it can be. Ultimately, Barton develops her argument well with examples from a credible source and math to show the fragility of this measurement.
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AuthorMy name is Kobe Lester, and I want to see what makes Vox news appealing. Tell me any points that you have and I will look for them in other videos by Vox news. Archives
February 2018
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