Is Regina Benjamin fat? Is Regina Benjamin overweight? According to some, Regina Benjamin is fat, and yes, Regina Benjamin is overweight. She is a newly appointed Surgeon General of the United States, so it seems reasonable to expect that someone in her position would be, well, fit and healthy.

So, is Regina Benjamin fat in my fair and biased opinion, is Regina Benjamin overweight from the standpoint of something called The Body Mass Index (BMI)? The answers to these questions are: No (to the former) and probably Yes (to the latter).

I am not saying she is not healthy. I mean, of course I hope she is, but I think there is a very good chance that her BMI shows that she is overweight and possibly obese. Now, I know all about the shortcomings of BMI. In fact, I would be the first person to tell you not to pay any attention to it, assuming you are physically active and follow a healthy diet.

In most cases, the BMI should not be trusted if a person has a significant amount of muscle mass, that is when its formula basically falls apart, but it usually applies to athletes and muscle heads, not a typical person. Check out Serena Williams in a Bikini post to see what I am talking about. Her BMI shows she is obese, which is a joke since she is a world-class athlete.

In Regina’s case, however, I do not think she exercises regularly, and I doubt she follows a balanced diet full of vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, and fruits. I think she needs to lose at least 35 pounds – maybe even 45 – to bring her weight under control.

That having been said, the question is: Given that she appears to be overweight, is it acceptable for someone like her to be the Surgeon General of the United States? Yes it is, and here is why: She is a real woman with a weight problem. If that does not represent what many women in the United States are dealing with these days, I do not know what is.

Hopefully, she will get in shape soon, and will share with others how and why she did it. I think it would send a strong message – i.e., there is no excuse for not to be in great shape. This is America; we have an overabundance of healthy foods and more gyms than any other country in the world, anybody can change their eating habits and shape up if they want to. [via]