Question:
How can you tell what your body frame is when you are obese?

They always say to measure your wrists...and then depending on that, it should tell you if you have a small, medium, or large frame. However, when you are morbidly obese, how can this be accurate with all that extra fat around our wrists? I am 5'5 and weigh about 189lbs. right now and my wrist is about 6.5 inches around. Before surgery, 6 months ago it was 7.5 inches. So, I have already lost an inch around. At 6.5 inches, I am told I still have a large frame...but if I lose another .5 inch or whole inch, I will medium to small. So how can you tell when you are heavy? Just because we have extra weight on us does not mean we all have large frames. Anyone know the answer to this? (open RNY 7/23/02 -112 lbs)    — Shawnie S. (posted on February 8, 2003)

February 8, 2003
I always said the same thing. Before surgery my fingers wouldn't touch when wrapped around my wrist, now at goal, they overlap. Someone on here had mentioned something about measuring the boney part of the elbow in determining frame size. Maybe someone on here will know. I just know I must be a large frame, because at my weight everyone else is in much smaller clothing than I. I would like to know for sure though.
   — Cheri M.

February 8, 2003
When my surgeon briefed my sister after surgery, he told her based on the size of my rib cage (I had open RNY)that I had a small frame. Even the surgeon though that looking at me I was a medium to large but low and behold I'm small. That new shocked the heck out of me because I'm 5'10" and thought I had a large frame.
   — Mary H.

February 9, 2003
When I went for my pre-op exam, my surgeon's nurse had me hold out my left arm and bend it at the elbow so my hand was touching my left shoulder, and she measured it that way. Even when you're overweight, that part seems to still be bony. :-)
   — Emily W.

February 10, 2003
http://www.am-i-fat.com/body_frame_size.html this should help!!! :o)
   — Snowflake48342