medical BMI 35.7?

[Tp02896]

Will I get referred to the MA with this BMI if all my other tests come back clear?

[JandM]

There may be further action taken about your BMI, depending partly on your waist measurement. Although the current booklet of directions to doctors performing the medical doesn't give the actual figures considered acceptable, a previous version had this.

The medical examiner is expected to calculate the BMI for all applicants aged 18 years and older.
Measure the waist circumference of all applicants 18 years of age. With a tape measure, comfortably
measure the shortest circumference that is below the rib cage and above the umbilicus.
The medical examiner is to request fasting glucose and fasting lipids where BMI >35 or when
the waist circumference in applicants 18 years or over is greater than the following limits1:
• men: ≥ 102cm, except Asian/Indian men: ≥ 90cm
• women: ≥ 88cm, except Asian/Indian women: ≥ 80cm.
Where a patient may be in a higher risk category, with fasting bloods having been requested, the
applicant’s attitude to their condition should be explored. Please note whether they recognise a
problem exists, whether they are planning any changes to improve the situation, have they made
any changes, what success, if any, have they had etc, is all relevant information.

In the past, people have been given extra time to reduce their weight and/or waist measurement, with the medical not being passed as an Acceptable State of Health until they did. Here's one long thread, where the lady was further outside the norms than you - but just to show you, they CAN do this. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26174

[Tp02896]

This wasn't the first medical, this was an additional request for further medical testing at the final stage of our application for residency. They only requested the BMI and not waist measurements. So that's why this is a bit confusing. The initial medical had a BMI of 37.1 and this medical was down to 35.7 all other tests were normal.

[JandM]

In that case, it's all going to depend on the decisions taken in your individual case - no way to tell what this particular official will think. Good luck.

[Tp02896]

Well the medical results were submitted on Tuesday to the CO. Still haven't heard anything. No idea how long we'll have to wait to find out if it's being referred or not to the MA. so stressful.

[JandM]

I'm afraid 'stressed' is the normal state for everybody who has an application in with INZ, NZQA or the MAs. The only thing to do is TRY to think about other, ordinary-life-around-you, subjects as much as possible.

[Tp02896]

Well it appears the medical results will be passed to a MA. So I guess that's us until Christmas time waiting. Do you know if you get your BMI below 35 and send the results in if that will change the need for the medical assessment?

[JandM]

It has to help. I don't know if it would be enough to get an immediate 'okay', as your case would be in the MAs' rotating workload system, but at least when the file came to the head of the line, the MA might immediately see they didn't need to do a big investigation and order even more tests.

[Tp02896]

Okay, so I guess we're signed up to the 10 week wait regardless. Unfortunately that's lining up with Christmas time, so i imagine that will delay things further.

35 is the magic number for them though isn't it with regards to BMI?

[JandM]

Being over that AND over the waist measurement specified triggers the requirement for a fasting blood test, I think. If that shows no existing medical condition, they seem to demand that the person reduces, with the idea that they don't enter NZ in a state where the weight they are carrying is likely to cause ill health.