The ideal weight for health depends, largely, on a person's height. Besides your total weight, the amount of weight you're carrying in fat, as well as the distribution of your weight, also affects your health. The best measurements to use to determine whether your weight puts you at risk for health problems are body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
BMI
BMI, a measurement calculated from your height and weight, is a fairly accurate indication of the amount of fat on your body and thus your risk for weight-related disease. Generally, the higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases; but a very low BMI can also negatively affect your health. As long as you know your height and weight, you can calculate your BMI using a BMI calculator or BMI table. A normal BMI score is between 18.5 and 24.9. A score lower than 18.5 or greater than 24.9 indicates you are underweight or overweight, respectively; a score of 30 or higher indicates obesity.
Waist Circumference
Measuring your waist circumference is another way to determine your weight-related health risks, as having excess fat in your abdomen increases your risk for certain diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Having both a high BMI and a high waist circumference puts you at greater risk for disease than does a high BMI alone. You might have a normal BMI but due to a high waist circumference still need to lose weight in order achieve an ideal weight. Health risks increase with a waist circumference measurement greater than 40 inches for men and greater than 35 inches for women. To correctly measure your waist, stand and use a tape measure to determine the circumference just above the hipbones. Take the measurement just after you breathe out.
Health Consequences
The health consequences of overweight and obesity are significant. Overweight and obese people have increased risks of developing many chronic diseases, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, breast cancer, colon cancer and endometrial cancer. Fortunately, even a weight loss of 5 percent of your current weight can reduce your weight-related health risks, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. While having a low body weight is not as common, being underweight can also cause health problems, including bone loss, reduced fertility and a weakened immune system.
Considerations
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the BMI a fairly reliable indicator of body fat and related health risks, it is not perfect. If you are an athlete or have a very muscular build, your BMI score may overestimate your amount of body fat; it may underestimate your body fat if you're an older adult or have lost muscle mass. It's also important to note that weight is not the only predictor of health. Other factors that put you at increased risk for disease include cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and a family history of premature heart disease. Having two or more of these risk factors and also being overweight puts you at an even greater risk of chronic disease than does being overweight alone.
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