In today's society, obesity has hit an all time high not only in the U.S. but worldwide. The term "globesity" has been presented to define the state of our universe in regards to the rapid growth of obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that more than one-third of adults or more than 72 million people are obese. In addition, 17 percent of children are categorized as being obese. The health consequences with being obese can include diabetes, cancers, liver and gallbladder diseases, osteoarthritis, infertility and sleep apnea. BMI and the weight you are carrying around your waist can be early indicators to disease risk due to weight status.
BMI Determination
BMI was established to place a person's weight into a category that is associated with health risks. The American Heart Association provided the following calculation to calculate your BMI: weight in pounds multiplied by 703 and divided by your height in inches twice. BMI has four major categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. The three subcategories within the obese category are obese 1, obese 2, and morbid or extreme obesity. If your BMI is in the underweight category it is less than 18.5. Normal weight status within BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. The overweight category consists of a BMI of 25 to 29.9. Lastly, a BMI of over 30 is considered obese. Morbid obesity is a BMI of more than 40.
Fat Distribution
Waist circumference in relation to BMI can be an indicator of possibility of disease in the future. The fat distribution within the body is categorized into two groups: Android and Gynoid. Android fat is known as the apple shape and fat is distributed in the abdominal area. Gynoid fat can be thought of the pear shape and is associated with fat around the hips area. If you are carrying android fat in large amounts, it can be associated with diseases such as diabetes and heart disease due to its placement around the major organs. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute emphasized the risk of disease goes up with a waist size of 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.
BMI And Waist Circumference
BMI can provide a guide for you in regards to disease risk. People with a BMI in an underweight category or normal category do not have an increased risk of diseases associated with waist circumference. However, a person with a waist circumference more than 35 inches for females and 40 inches within the overweight or obese category has a very high risk of diseases associated with obesity. If a person is in the morbid obesity category and has a 35-inch or 40-inch waist circumference, the risk of associated diseases is extremely high.
BMI Considerations
BMI and waist circumference can be used as a tool to determine your risk of associated diseases. BMI does not account for muscle and fat and does not take into consideration your body distribution. Waist circumference and BMI can be used together to help provide a better assessment of disease risk.
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