Is it possible to have a BMI of 10? For most people, probably not. After all, fatalities have been recorded at significantly higher BMIs than 10.
We do not encourage anyone to attempt to lower their BMI if they’re underweight. If you have body image issues or eating disorders, then you should seek professional help while you’re able.
We will now discuss why the vast majority of people are physiologically incapable of reaching a 10 BMI.
Related:
Can you really have a BMI of 10?
While females can often reach a lower BMI than males by a couple of points, most women would likely not reach a BMI of 10 because their body wouldn’t be able to sustain life at such a low body weight.
Now, there may have been a few examples of females who, in their final days, reached a BMI of 10.
This isn’t a particularly nice area to research, and it doesn’t do us any good to constantly debate whether a 10 BMI is possible to reach because the reality is once you reach a BMI that low, there’s probably no going back.
A BMI 10 person would look beyond emancipated and would be extremely malnourished. This is why it’s important to get help before your BMI becomes dangerously low.
Why is it so dangerous to have a BMI of 10?
A BMI of 10—not that most people could reach it—is dangerous because it’s too low to support life for perhaps more than a few days or weeks.
It’s hard to know the outlook for someone with a BMI of 10 because they’re such a medical rarity.
When you bear in mind that having a body mass index 50% greater than BMI 10 is considered severely underweight, you begin to realize just how horrifying low BMIs can be.
Most people would be hospitalized well before reaching a BMI of 10.
Conclusion
So, for most people, reaching a BMI of 10 is impossible because the human body usually succumbs before reaching such a low body mass index.
While BMI often fails to detect those who have excess body fat, especially if they have a “normal” BMI, it’s very useful for spotting those who are underweight.
As such, if your body weight is too low for your height, you should talk to your doctor so that you can improve your health by safely gaining weight.