What is the figuring body mass index for?
written by Candee Stark
Tonight at my Weight Watcher's meeting my leader discussed figuring body mass index(BMI)
and the associated health risks of being overweight. When I started the program my BMI was
34.1 and since losing 15 1/2 pounds my BMI has dropped to 31.6. (Sidenote: I've lost 43 1/2lbs
so far and my body mass index dropped to an almost healthy 27.)
(Use the body mass index chart below for figuring your BMI)
It is reccomended to be in the range of 20-25 so as you can tell I still
have some work to do but I am extremely motivated by my progress.
Losing as little as 5% of your body weight improve your health
tremendously.
I wanted to find out more information regarding the importance of
figuring body mass index and the health risks of being overweight
and I found the following article to be well written and very informative.
Do You Know The Health Risks of Being Overweight?
Weighing too much may increase your risk for developing many health
problems. If you are overweight or obese on a body mass index (BMI)
chart, you may be at risk for:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease and stroke
• Cancer
• Sleep apnea
• Osteoarthritis
• Gallbladder disease
• Fatty liver disease.
You can lower your health risks by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds.
Type 2 diabetes What is it?
Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent
diabetes. It is the most common type of diabetes in the U.S.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above
normal. High blood sugar is a major cause of early death, heart disease,
kidney disease, stroke, and blindness.
How is it linked to overweight?
More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
It is not known exactly why people who are overweight are more likely
to suffer from this disease. It may be that being overweight causes
cells to change, making them less effective at using sugar from the blood.
This then puts stress on the cells that produce insulin (a hormone that carries sugar from the blood to cells) and makes them gradually fail.
What can weight loss do?
You can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes by losing weight and increasing the amount of physical activity you do. If you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and becoming more physically active can help you control your blood sugar levels. Losing weight and exercising more may also allow you to reduce the amount of diabetes medication you take.
Heart disease and stroke What is it?
Heart disease means that the heart and circulation (blood flow) are
not functioning normally. If you have heart disease, you may suffer from
a heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death,
angina (chest pain), or abnormal heart rhythm.
During a stroke, blood and oxygen do not flow normally to the brain,
possibly causing paralysis or death. Heart disease is the leading cause
of death in the U.S., and stroke is the third leading cause.
How is it linked to overweight?
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood
pressure, high levels of triglycerides (blood fats) and LDL cholesterol
(a fat-like substance often called the "bad cholesterol"), and low levels
of HDL cholesterol (the "good cholesterol"). These are all risk factors for
heart disease and stroke. In addition, people with more body fat have
higher blood levels of substances that cause inflammation.
Inflammation in blood vessels and throughout the body may raise heart
disease risk.
What can weight loss do?
Losing 5 to 15 percent of your weight can lower your chances for
developing heart disease or having a stroke. If you weigh 200 pounds,
this means losing as little as 10 pounds. Weight loss may improve your
blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels; improve how your
heart works and your blood flows; and decrease inflammation
throughout your body.
Body Mass Index Chart
To use the table, find the appropriate height in the left-hand column
labeled Height. Move across to a given weight. The number at the top
of the column is the BMI at that height and weight.
Pounds have been rounded off.
Body Mass Index Chart Part 2
Cancer What is it?
Cancer occurs when cells in one part of the body, such as the colon,
grow abnormally or out of control and possibly spread to other parts
of the body, such as the liver. Cancer is the second leading cause of
death in the U.S.
How is it linked to overweight?
Being overweight may increase the risk of developing several types of
cancer, including cancers of the colon, esophagus, and kidney.
Overweight is also linked with uterine and postmenopausal breast
cancer in women. Gaining weight during adult life increases the risk for
several of these cancers. Being overweight also may increase the risk
of dying from some cancers. It is not known exactly how being
overweight increases cancer risk. It may be that fat cells make
hormones that affect cell growth and lead to cancer. Also, eating or
physical activity habits that may lead to being overweight may also
contribute to cancer risk.
What can weight loss do?
Avoiding weight gain may prevent a rise in cancer risk. Weight loss,
and healthy eating and physical activity habits, may lower cancer risk.
Sleep apnea What is it?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing for short
periods during the night. A person who has sleep apnea may suffer
from daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and even heart failure.
How is it linked to overweight?
The risk for sleep apnea is higher for people who are overweight.
A person who is overweight may have more fat stored around his or
her neck. This may make the airway smaller. A smaller airway can make
breathing difficult, loud (snoring), or stop altogether. In addition, fat
stored in the neck and throughout the body can produce substances
that cause inflammation. Inflammation in the neck may be a risk factor for
sleep apnea.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea. Weight loss may help to
decrease neck size and lessen inflammation.
Osteoarthritis What is it?
Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder. With osteoarthritis, the joint
bone and cartilage (tissue that protects joints) wear away.
Osteoarthritis most often affects the joints of the knees, hips, and lower
back.
How is it linked to overweight?
Extra weight may place extra pressure on joints and cartilage, causing
them to wear away. In addition, people with more body fat may have
higher blood levels of substances that cause inflammation.
Inflammation at the joints may raise the risk for osteoarthritis.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss can decrease stress on your knees, hips, and lower back,
and lessen inflammation in your body. If you have osteoarthritis, losing
weight may help improve your symptoms.
Gallbladder disease What is it?
Gallstones are clusters of solid material that form in the gallbladder.
They are made mostly of cholesterol and can sometimes cause
abdominal or back pain.
How is it linked to overweight?
People who are overweight have a higher risk for developing
gallbladder disease and gallstones. They may produce more cholesterol,
a risk factor for gallstones. Also, people who are overweight may have
an enlarged gallbladder, which may not work properly.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss — especially fast weight loss (more than 3 pounds per week)
or loss of a large amount of weight — can actually increase your
chance of developing gallstones. Modest, slow weight loss of about
1/2 to 2 pounds a week is less likely to cause gallstones.
Fatty liver disease What is it?
Fatty liver disease occurs when fat builds up in the liver cells and
causes injury and inflammation in the liver. It can sometimes lead to
severe liver damage, cirrhosis (build-up of scar tissue that blocks
proper blood flow in the liver), or even liver failure. Fatty liver disease
is like alcoholic liver damage, but it is not caused by alcohol and can
occur in people who drink little or no alcohol. The National Digestive
Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) has more information
on fatty liver disease or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
How is it linked to overweight?
People who have diabetes or "pre-diabetes" (when blood sugar levels
are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range) are more likely
to have fatty liver disease than people without these conditions.
And people who are overweight are more likely to have diabetes
(see Type 2 diabetes above).
It is not known why some people who are overweight or diabetic get
fatty liver and others do not.
What can weight loss do?
Losing weight can help you control your blood sugar levels.
It can also reduce the build-up of fat in your liver and prevent further
injury. People with fatty liver disease should avoid drinking alcohol.
How can I lower my health risks?
If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 percent of your body weight
may lower your risk for several diseases, including heart disease and
diabetes. If you weigh 200 pounds, this means losing 10 pounds.
Slow and steady weight loss of 1/2 to 2 pounds per week, and not more
than 3 pounds per week, is the safest way to lose weight.
To lose weight and keep it off over time, try to make long-term changes
in your eating and physical activity habits. Choose healthy foods,
such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat meat and dairy
products, more often and eat just enough food to satisfy you. Try to do
at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity — like walking —
on most days of the week, preferably every day.
To lose weight, or to maintain weight loss, you may need to do more
than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.
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Weight-control Information Network
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 04-4098
November 2004
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About the Author
Candee Stark had written several
weight loss articles, and she has a website where you can find motivational quotes,
and weight loss tips and ideas. If you would like follow up about her weight loss success,
stop by to read her
daily weight loss blog.
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After receiving your material, we have completely changed our shopping list and meals.
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It then occurred to us, since we have been doing this, we have had pain free days and nights and each day we have felt a little better mental awareness, a sense of wellness, and more "spring in our step."
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