Big-boned: Is there a correlation between being overweight and bone size?

Big-boned: Is there a correlation between being overweight and bone size?
© PIXABAY
Big-boned: Is there a correlation between being overweight and bone size?
More under this ad

Chalking up being overweight to the size of your bones may not be as scientifically accurate as many would want to believe.

Ever heard someone say they’re overweight simply because they are big-boned? This could also be an euphemism used by loved ones to describe someone who may be packing a little more weight than is needed. But do your bones really contribute that much to your weight?

Discover our latest podcast

Big-boned, more weight?

Yes, some people do have bigger bones; it’s why their wrists and elbows may appear larger, making it tricky for them to wear standard-sized watches and bracelets, according to Dr Brenda Banaszynski, a family medicine physician at Marshfield Clinic.

More under this ad
More under this ad

Body frame size is determined by a person's wrist circumference in relation to their height, the National Library of Medicine says on its website with a breakdown of measurements that helps you determine your body frame size, in case you’re curious.

Although, technically you could be big-boned due to having a larger bone structure, that is not where the extra weight is coming from. Dr Banaszynski explains:

More under this ad
More under this ad
Larger bones might account for a few pounds of weight but not 30 or 40. It’s not going to be the difference between a healthy body mass index (BMI) and being overweight.
thumbnail
Getty/ Sara Gennat / EyeEm
More under this ad
More under this ad

Average size

The percentage of people who have a larger than average frame is barely 15%, about the same as people with smaller than average bone frame. Most people are just average sized in terms of skeletons.

So, it’s highly unlikely and scientifically impossible that every single person that is overweight is just big-boned, Claudette Lajam, M.D with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons told The Huffington Post.

More under this ad
More under this ad
Most people's weight is carried in their soft tissue -- muscle, fatty tissue, their organs so blaming extra weight on your bones is not accurate.

Thus the myth is bust: excess weight is either the result of excess fat or excess muscle, not excess bone or big bones.

Sources used:

Motion, Health & Fitness: Big boned, Big myth

Huffpost: Yes, You Can Be 'Big Boned' (But That's Not Why You're Overweight)

Shine 365: Big boned: Not a reason to be overweight

Read more:

These diet foods and drinks could actually be making gain weight, expert warns

Elon Musk is reportedly on a $900-per-month weight-loss injection, here's what we know

Type 4 diabetes: Your weight is not the main risk for getting this type of diabetes

More under this ad