The World Health Organization states that in 2008, over one billion adults over the age of 20 were overweight and over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. If your body weight is too high, you put extra strain on your heart, which can lead to chronic health problems. To determine if your body weight is healthy for your height, you can calculate your body mass index, or BMI.
WHO BMI Guideline for Overweight and Obesity
The WHO states that a BMI over 25 is considered overweight and a BMI over 30 is obese. The body mass index is a calculation that is used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is a simple way to see how you rank for your height and weight, but it should not be used as the only indicator to determine health status. You should consider other health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, dietary habits, exercise habits and whether or not you smoke.
BMI Calculation
To determine your BMI, you first need your accurate height and weight. You then take your weight in pounds and multiply it by 703. This answer is then divided by your height in inches, and then divided a second time by your height in inches. The answer to this calculation is your body mass index score, and you then compare this score to the index classifications. The five BMI categories include underweight, normal or healthy, overweight, obese and morbidly obese.
BMI Score
The body mass index classifications have ranges associated with the categories. For example, the underweight category is a BMI score that is any number below 18.5, and a healthy or normal BMI score is anything from 18.5 to 24.9. If your score is 25.0 to 29.9, you are overweight, and if it is 30.0 to 39.9, you are obese, according to WHO guidelines. If you score above 40, you are considered morbidly obese and are in serious risk for developing chronic illness.
Considerations
If your body mass index score is not in the healthy range, then you need to make important lifestyle changes to ensure that you do not develop serious health problems. An unhealthy body weight can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and can decrease your quality of life. If your BMI is over 30, talk with your doctor about working with a dietitian to help you lose weight. In addition to eating fewer calories and eating healthier foods, you need to start increasing your exercise and physical activity. Eating better and burning more calories can lower your weight, which lowers your BMI score.
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