| 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. The higher the BMI, the
greater the risk of developing additional health
problems. 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
.
The
NHLBI obesity guidelines propose that doctors use
body mass index (BMI) to assess patients because
the index is simple, correlates to fatness and applies
to both men and women. To determine BMI, weight
in kilograms is divided by height in meters, squared.
In
June 1998, the federal government announced guide-lines
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 consider-ed overweight. Those with BMI's of 18.5
or less are considered under-weight. A BMI of 30
or over is considered obese.
Use
our BMI
Calculator to calculate your body
mass index.
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 measurement, 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 inches
or less) |
Men
› 102 cm
(40 inches) |
| Women
88 cm
(35 inches
or less) |
Women
› 88 cm
(35 inches) |
| 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
|
