According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults worldwide, and at least 300 million of them are obese. Working out your Body Mass Index, or BMI, is one of the first steps to assessing how healthy your lifestyle currently is. The result takes your height into consideration, making it a more valuable gauge than just the bathroom scales. It's a useful benchmark used by medical professionals the world over.
Assess Yourself
The BMI reading is a key indicator of whether you are underweight and need to gain weight in a controlled and healthy way, or if you are overweight or obese and need to adopt a healthier diet.
To find your BMI, take your weight and divide by your height squared. So if you're 5-foot, 6-inches tall, and weigh 154 pounds, the calculation would then be 1.7 x 1.7 = 2.89. Your BMI would be 70 divided by 2.89 = 24.22, making you a normal weight.
18.4 or less -- underweight
18.5 > 24.99 -- normal
25 > 29.99 -- overweight
30 > 34.99 -- obese, class 1
35 > 39.99 -- obese, class 2
40 or greater -- morbidly obese
Underweight
If your reading falls in any other category but normal, you should rethink your diet, but talk to your doctor first. Being underweight causes a weakened immune system, fragile bones and a lack of energy. For women, being either underweight or overweight can increase the risk of future problems with fertility.
Overweight or Obese
Being overweight is related to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, particularly if you carry a lot of weight around your middle. There is a strong link between obesity and gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.
Being overweight can also cause psychological problems, as individuals often have a negative self-image and suffer from depression. Being overweight is physically exhausting, and heavy people are often uncomfortable or embarrassed because of their weight.
History
Since 1980, levels of obesity have risen three-fold or more in some areas, according to the World Health Organization. This obesity epidemic is a relatively new problem for the Western world and affects all ages and socioeconomic groups, but the cause is obvious: today's increasingly sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets.
The rate of obesity among children is also a very worrying trend. It's estimated that 22 million under the age of 5 are overweight worldwide. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the number of overweight American children has doubled since 1980, and the number of overweight adolescents has tripled.
Benefits
If you're overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your current body weight can bring massive health benefits. Bring your BMI down to the normal range with the help of a health professional, as well as by eating healthier and being more active.
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