To keep a healthy weight is crucial for staying healthy. Overweight can lead to many health problems. The US National Heart Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI) use three criteria for assessing the health risks associated with overweight and obesity.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Waist Circumference
Other Risk factors for Diseases Associated with Weight
Weight-Related Health Risks
Excess body fat can cause a variety of health problems, including:
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Sleep Apnea
- degenerative joint disease (DJD)
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Determining how much a person should weigh is not simple, because it needs to consider the amount of bone, muscle, water and fat in one’s body’s composition and other factors. In addition, to measure one’s body fat is still a difficult problem waiting to be solved.
What is body mass index?
The Body Mass Index(BMI) is a widely used weight-assessment score computed according to a person’s height and weight. Usually, the higher the BMI score, the greater the risk of developing weight-related health problems may have. The Body Mass Index is used as a indicator of how much fat the person carries, however it only gives a fairly accurate assessment of how much of the person’s body is composed of fat.
How to compute body mass index?
You can use the following formula, which is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
English BMI Formula BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches x Height in inches ) ) x 703
Metric BMI Formula BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters x Height in Meters ) )
Use a BMI Scale to monitor your weight!
Get your BMI here.
How Body Mass Index Classifies Weight
Under 18.50 = Underweight
18.50 to 24.99 = Normal Weight
25 to 29.99 = Overweight
30 to 34.99 = Obese Class 1
35 to 39.99 = Obese Class 2
40 and above = Morbid Obesity
How Body Mass Index Classifies Weight-Related Health Risk
Under 18.50 - Risk = Moderate to Very High
20.00 to 21.99 - Risk = Low
22.00 to 24.99 - Risk = Very Low
25.00 to 29.99 - Risk = Low
30.00 to 34.99 - Risk = Moderate
35.00 to 39.99 - Risk = High
40.00 and above - Risk = Very High
Drawbacks of Body Mass Index
Because the body mass index system only considers a person’s height and weight, it has limitation. It takes no account of muscle-fat ratio, therefore, it tends to overestimate health risks for muscular athletes while underestimating the risks for older people and those who have lost muscle mass. BMF index does not take account of one’s age or sex either. It is certainly not appropriate for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The interpretation of results and the weight classifications listed above is just for your reference. Always consult your physician for additional information regarding your individual health risks and medical history.
Waist Circumference
Abdominal fat is another predictor of your risk for heart and other diseases. This because body fat tissue which is stored around the stomach and abdomen poses a greater health risk than body fat located in the lower half of the body. For example, some studies indicate that abdominal fat plays a role in the development of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and heart disease. A waist circumference measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women increases your risk. For people with a BMI of 34 or less, waist circumference provides an independent prediction of risk. Always consult your physician for more information regarding reducing your risk for disease.
What is a Healthy Waist Circumference?
For Women
Usually waist of over 31 inches or about 80cm indicates slight health risk, and waist of over 35 inches or about 90cm indicates substantially increased risk. However, you should consider your height as well.
For Men
Usually waist of over 37 inches or about 94cm indicates slight health risk, and
waist of over 40 inches or about 102cm indicates substantially increased risk. Again you should consider your height.
Other Health Risk Factors
In addition to body mass index and waist measurement, there are additional risk factors to consider when assessing your weight-related health. These other risk factors for weight-related diseases and conditions include:
high blood pressure
high blood sugar
high cholesterol
high fat
family history of any disease
physical inactivity
smoking
drinking alcohol
In order to stay healthy, we need to maintain a healthy weight. To use Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference and consider Other Risk factors for Diseases Associated with weight is a great way to monitor our weight.
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