The eating-disorders police have branded visible ribs above the breasts a sign of an eating disorder, but nowhere in medical literature does it state that this is a tell-tale sign of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
A woman’s body has relatively low levels of fat in the region above her breasts.
It doesn’t require a starvation diet to reveal the pattern of bones in this area.
Yet we live in a day and age where endless images of women abound — women of all body weights, of all physiques.
I used to be a personal trainer. I’d do body fat calculations on many women.
There were plenty of women whose body fat was in a medically acceptable range—but who had visible ribs above their breasts.
According to the American Council on Exercise:
- Athletic range: 14-20%
- Fitness range: 21-24%
A woman in the fitness range may have visible ribs, and even more likely, a woman in the lower end of the athletic range will.
In fact, we can have two women at a height of 5’4” who both weigh 125, as accurately depicted below.
Shutterstock/Dean Drobot
Shutterstock/Vikacita
The first woman’s body fat percentage appears to be higher than that of the second woman, though both can easily wear each other’s clothing.
Because the second one has a lower level of fat, her ribs will show above the breasts (and in the oblique area too) when in certain body positions.
The skinny fat woman’s ribs won’t show as easily. But in severe cases of thinness, her ribs will show no matter what.
So how can they weigh the same?
While one has more fat, the other has more muscle. Both have enough of these tissue types to weigh 125, but the proportion or ratio is what differs.
The body composition of the second woman is much healthier, even though her ribs may show.
Both wear the same dress size and have the same body mass index (BMI is calculated with only height and weight and does not indicate body composition).
Athletes or serious strength trainers who are very healthy may actually weigh MORE (due to muscle) than their same-height, sedentary counterparts and have visible rib bones above the breasts, while their counterparts may show nothing there due to a thicker layer of body fat.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Top image: Shutterstock/AXL
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