INTRODUCTION
Maintaining a healthy weight does much more than just improve how you look or feel in clothes. It can boost your energy, reduce body pain, and even lower your chances of getting serious health problems. When you reach or stay at a healthy weight, you may also sleep better, have better control of your blood pressure and fluids, and feel more active throughout the day.
One common way to check if your weight is healthy is by using Body Mass Index, or BMI. BMI is a simple number that compares your weight to your height. It helps doctors figure out if you are underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
Here’s how BMI numbers work:
Underweight: Less than 18.5
Healthy weight: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or more
To find your BMI, you can use an online calculator by entering your height and weight. Or, if you want to do it yourself, multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Then, divide that number by your height in inches twice.
For example:
If you weigh 160 pounds and are 65 inches tall, your BMI would be:
160 × 703 ÷ (65 × 65) = 26.6 (which falls in the overweight category).
WHY WAIST SIZE MATTERS TOO?
Besides BMI, your waist circumference (how wide your waist is) can also tell you about your health. Tools that help you calculate your bmi alongside measuring your waist can provide a more complete picture. For men, a waist size over 40 inches can be risky. For non-pregnant women, the risk increases when the waist is over 35 inches. Too much fat around your belly is linked with heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Some people, like athletes or those with a lot of muscle, may have a high BMI but not much fat. For them, checking waist size or using other tools like body fat percentage or skinfold tests gives a better idea of their health.
HOW EXTRA WEIGHT AFFECTS HEALTH
Your heart is under more stress when you are overweight. It can increase your blood pressure and raise bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels while lowering the good cholesterol (HDL). Additionally, it raises your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that even a small weight loss — just 3% to 5% of your body weight — can help lower blood sugar and fat levels in your blood. Losing 5% to 10% can also reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels.
Excess body fat increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, particularly around your abdomen. Protein, water, fat, and other substances make up your body. Keeping the fat in check, especially belly fat, helps protect your health.
To put it briefly, being aware of your waist circumference and BMI can help you better understand your health. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight — and keeping it off — can lower your risk of heart disease and other serious problems.
