Body Mass Index (BMI) is
one of the most accurate ways to determine when extra weight may be
contributing to or resulting in health risks.
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.
BMI is a measure which
takes into account a person's weight and height to gauge total body
fat in adults.
Consult your doctor or
other health professional before beginning any exercise or weight-loss
program.
In summary the BMI will
tell if you may face health risks. Healthy people will have an index
between 18.5 and 25; overweight people are classified as follows:
|
Body
mass index
|
Classification
|
Level
of risk
|
|
25
to 30
|
Overweight
|
Increased
risk
|
|
30
to 35
|
Class
I obesity
|
Moderate
risk
|
|
35
to 40
|
Class
II obesity
|
Sever
risk
|
|
Over
40
|
Class
III obesity
|
Very
severe risk
|
Find
out if your waist affects your health!
An alternative way to quickly
check whether your health may be at risk is to measure your waist.
The risks increase as the waist measurement rises above the following
baseline figures:
|
Gender
|
Waist
measurement
|
|
Male
|
over
94 cm (37 inches)
|
|
Female
|
over
80 cm (32 inches)
|
Step
1: Find out if you are overweight - click here male
or female to calculate your ideal body weight.
Step
2: Find out your body mass index. This
can help you to determine whether you are at risk from other health
problems.
Step
3: Extra
pounds, or are you a chocoholic? Well,
find out how you can loose those calories with exercise. Click here
for the gym or for sports.
|