Is your weight affecting your health?

Is your weight affecting your health?
Find out if your Body Mass Index puts you at risk.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most accurate ways to determine
when extra pounds translate into health risks. BMI is a measure which
takes into account a person's weight and height to gauge total body
fat in adults. Someone with a BMI of 26 to 27 is about 20 percent
overweight, which is generally believed to carry moderate health risks.
A BMI of 30 and higher is considered obese. The higher the BMI, the
greater the risk of developing additional health problems.

Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all linked to
being overweight. A BMI of 30 and over increases the risk of death from
any cause by 50 to 150 percent, according to some estimates. According
to health experts, people who are overweight but have no other health
risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) should
eat healthier and exercise to keep from gaining additional weight. For
people who are overweight and also have health risks, they recommend
trying to actively lose weight. Be sure to consult your doctor or other
health professional before beginning any exercise or weight-loss
program.

In June 1998, the federal government announced guidelines which
create a new definition of a healthy weight -- a BMI of 24 or less. So
now a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. Individuals who fall
into the BMI range of 25 to 34.9, and have a waist size of over 40
inches for men and 35 inches for women, are considered to be at
especially high risk for health problems.

Use the BMI CALCULATOR below to figure your BMI and then refer to
the chart to see ranges for a healthy BMI.

BMI Calculator

Height: feet inches
Weight: lbs.

Your BMI:

To use the table below, find the appropriate height in the
left-hand column. Move across to a given weight. The number at the top
of the column is the BMI for that height and weight. Pounds have been
rounded off. SOURCE: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Both Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) can be
useful measures of determining obesity and increased risk for various
diseases. According to the National Institutes of Health, a high WC is
associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia,
hypertension and cardiovascular disease when BMI is between 25 and
34.9. (A BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight and a BMI greater
than 30 is considered obese.) WC can be useful for those people
categorized as normal or overweight in terms of BMI. (For example, an
athlete with increased muscle mass may have a BMI greater than 25 -
making him or her overweight on the BMI scale - but a WC measurement
would most likely indicate that he or she is, in fact, not overweight).
Changes in WC over time can indicated an increase or decrease in
abdominal fat. Increased abdominal fat is associated with an increased
risk of heart disease.

To determine your WC, locate the upper hip bone and place a
measuring tape around the abdomen (ensuring that the tape measure is
horizontal). The tape measure should be snug but should not cause
compressions on the skin. The following chart should be helpful in
determining the possible risks associated with your BMI and WC.

Classification of Overweight and Obesity by BMI, Waist Circumference,
and Associated Disease Risks




Disease Risk* Relative to Normal Weight and Waist Circumference


BMI
(kg/m2)

Obesity
Class

Men 102 cm (40 in) or less
Women 88 cm (35 in) or less

Men > 102 cm (40 in)
Women > 88 cm (35 in)
Underweight
< 18.5


-

-
Normal
18.5 - 24.9


-

-
Overweight
25.0 - 29.9


Increased

High
Obesity
30.0 - 34.9

I

High

Very High


35.0 - 39.9

II

Very High

Very High
Extreme Obesity
40.0 +

III

Extremely High

Extremely High

* Disease risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and CVD.
+ Increased waist circumference can also be a marker for increased
risk even in persons of normal weight.
SOURCE: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Overweight people live longer than those of ideal weight
    ... there are different catagories on that stupid BMI ... The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing ... inquiry into obesity in Australia on 19 March 2008. ... Over the last decade as a nation we have continued to gain weight. ...
    (rec.food.cooking)
  • Re: Can you push Furniture about? Ability to function..Different
    ... I suspect the BMI part is a typo - they're saying that BMI <25 is a risk ... And not assigning risk factors to BMI>25 or 30??? ... part in a national health survey in 1998. ...
    (sci.med.cardiology)
  • Re: Health risks-arthritis ++
    ... Having dealt with weight issues my whole life, ... The government BMI chart says, at 5'9" tall, *regardless of sex*, ... Being a little overweight can kill you, ... in the study that included people with health ...
    (alt.support.arthritis)
  • Re: Health risks-arthritis ++
    ... BMI is a cheap and nasty way of interpretting bodyfat and is not valid or reliable. ... Being a little overweight can kill you, ... those who were at a healthy weight, ... in the study that included people with health ...
    (alt.support.arthritis)
  • Re: Overweight = unhealthy
    ... Lancet, reported by heartwire, that showed having a slightly higher BMI ... and death in more than half a million US men and women from the National ... highest and lowest categories of BMI, at all age groups, with risk for ... the risk for lesser degrees of excess weight has been ...
    (talk.politics.medicine)
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