A Healthier You
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Calculate The Following Measurements To Find Out Where You Stand
The Definition of Body Mass Index:
Body Mass Index is a key index for relating a person's body weight to their height. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) now defines underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity according to the BMI rather than using the traditional height and weight charts. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it correlates strongly with the total body fat content.
You should be aware of your BMI because of the health risks of being overwieght such as heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, high blood pressure, stroke, and high cholesterol.
What do the BMI numbers mean?
If you have a Body Mass Index of:
Under 18.5 - you are considered Underweight
Between 18.5 - 24.9 - you are considered in the Healthy Range
Between 25 - 29.9 - you are considered Overweight
30 and Over - You care considered Obese
How do I calculate my Body Mass Index?
1. Do a Math Problem.
Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared.
Then multiply the results by a conversion factor of 703.
Example: Someone is 5 feet 5 inches tall or 65 inches and weighs 150 pounds. The calculation would
look like this:
[150 divided by 65(2) X 703 = 24.96.
2. Calculate your BMI by using the internet.
Go to: www.allkids.org/body.cfm?id=574 or go to
In conclusion, the Body Mass Index is a simple tool to screen for weight categories. Health professionals need to do further assessments to fully evaluate health risks. These assessments may include measurements of body fat percentage, diet history, exercise patterns, and family history for diseases.
One fact to realize is BMI does NOT take into account one's age, gender, or muscle mass. Nor does it differentiate between lean body mass (the mass of the body minus the fat) and fat mass (the amount of body fat). As a result, some people, such as heavily muscled athletes, may have a high BMI even though they don't have a high percentage of body fat. In others, such as the elderly, the BMI may appear normal even though muscle mass has been lost with aging.
Body Fat: source: www.myfit.ca
The body fat percentage is the body fat mass as the percentage of body weight. What are the norms for body fat?
Underweight: Less than 8% body fat - Women
Less than 5% body fat - Men
Lean: Less than 17% body fat - Women
Less than 12% body fat - Men
Acceptable: Body fat percentage between 17 - 28% - Women
Body fat percentage between 12 - 21% - Men
To test your body fat, go to any of the following sources or search "body fat calculator":
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/body_fat_calculator.htm
Waist Circumference:
"Michael Jordan, when in his prime had a BMI of between 27 and 29, classifying him as overweight, yet his waist size was less than 30," says Michael Roizen, MD, author of You: On a Diet.
Some experts believe waist circumference can be a valuable health measurement, because it measures WHERE your fat is located. Some people gain weight in their abdominal regions (the so called "APPLE" body shape.) Others are "PEAR" shaped, with excess weight around their hips and butt. People with APPLE SHAPES are at a higher risk for health problems associated with being overweight. Because of its proximity to your organs, your belly fat is the most dangerous fat you can carry.
"Fat around your waist is more biologically active and can do more damage to your body than weight around your hips," says Roizen. "The data shows the waist circumference is more reliable and more closely correlated with diseases associated with OBESITY."
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that health care providers assess BMI, waist circumference, and any other risk factors for obesity-related conditions. Combining all of the information provides the best assessment.
How To Measure Your Waist Circumference:
1. Place a tape measure around your abdomen just above your hip bone.
2. Be sure the tape is snug, but does not compress your skin, and is parallel to the floor.
3. Relax, exhale and measure your waist.
FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH:
The ideal waist size for women is 32 1/2 inches or less.
Once you hit 37 inches, the dangers to your health increase.
The ideal waist size for men is 35 inches or less.
Once you hit 40 inches, the dangers to your health increase.
The first step toward shrinking your waistline and getting your BMI in line is to start eating a healthier diet and getting regular exercise. Preventing any further weight gain and slowly reducing weight to a healthier range is an excellent goal. Dropping as little as five to ten percent of your body weight can bring dramatic improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Four Recommendations for a Healthy Lifestyle:
1. Be physically active.
2. Make healthy food choices.
3. Avoid overeating.
4. Schedule an annual physician examination.
Ask Yourself These Key Questions:
1. What are my family risk factors, or health problems that run in my family?
A. High blood pressure
B. High cholesterol
C. Sugar diabetes
D. Heart disease
E. Physically inactive/ Weight gain
F. Cigarette smoking illnesses
G. Other problems not listed
2. What is my physical activity level, being HONEST?
A. I am Sedentary
B. I am Somewhat Active
C. I am Active
Sedentary - a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
Somewhat Active - a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
Active - a lifestyle that includes physical activity to walking more than 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
