2. What is a BMI?
• Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals around the
world use BMI to determine whether a person is overweight or
clinically obese. The latest statistics, published in the Health Survey
of England 2004, show that almost a quarter of adults are obese.
• This means they have a greater risk of developing heart disease,
diabetes, stroke and certain cancers (breast and colon).
• Other health problems related to having too much fat around the
body include a greater chance of developing osteoarthritis (wear
and tear) of the joints, and emotional problems such as low self-
esteem and depression.
• A significant drawback with BMI is that it doesn't take into account
a person's body fat content, which is an indicator of the risk of
future health problems.
4. Children and BMI
• The number of clinically obese children has also
increased sharply in recent years, and there are fears
that if present trends continue obesity-related
diseases, such as diabetes, will occur at a much
younger age than at present.
• A child's BMI is calculated using the same method as
for adults - weight in kilograms divided by height in
metres squared. But adult BMI figures must not be
used to determine whether a child is overweight or
obese. Specific age-adjusted charts are needed.
5. What is a satisfactory BMI?
• A healthy weight can mean better health for
you, and you can use the BMI as a guideline
for determining what a healthy weight is for
your height. However, be aware that the best
BMI for you may be different than for another.
Your health care provider may be your best
resource for advice on a healthy BMI for you
6. • According to the Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention, the body mass index, or BMI, can give
an estimate of the amount of body fat that you
have. To calculate your body mass index, divide
your weight in lb. by the square of your height in
in., and multiply that number by 703. A BMI less
than 18.5 puts you in the underweight category,
18.5 to 24.9 is normal, 25 to 29.9 is overweight
and greater than 30 is obese.
7. What is a Obese BMI?
• An obese person has accumulated so much
body fat that it might have a negative effect
on their health. If a person's bodyweight is at
least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is
considered obese. If your Body Mass Index
(BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are
considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or
over you are considered obese
8. People become obese for several
reasons, including:
Consuming too many calories.
•
People are eating much more than they used to. This used to be the case
just in developed nations - however, the trend has spread worldwide.
Despite billions of dollars being spent on public awareness campaigns that
attempt to encourage people to eat healthily, the majority of us continue
to overeat. In 1980 14% of the adult population of the USA was obese; by
2000 the figure reached 31% (The Obesity Society).
In the USA, the consumption of calories increased from 1,542 per day for
women in 1971 to 1,877 per day in 2004. The figures for men were 2,450
in 1971 and 2,618 in 2004. Most people would expect this increase in
calories to consist of fat - not so! Most of the increased food consumption
has consisted of carbohydrates (sugars). Increased consumption of
sweetened drinks has contributed significantly to the raised carbohydrate
intake of most young American adults over the last three decades. The
consumption of fast-foods has tripled over the same period
9. What is a very Obese BMI?
Overweight BMI
If your BMI is 25 or more, you should think about losing
weight.
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of health
problems, such as:
heart disease
stroke
type 2 diabetes
some types of cancer
high blood pressure (hypertension)
kidney disease
10. Healthcare
• Healthcare professionals use the words obese and obesity as
clinical terms to indicate your increased risk of health problems.
They do not use these terms to describe what you look like. You can
find more information about obesity in the Health A-Z.
• Talk to your GP before starting a weight loss programme if you have
a long-term health condition, such as type 2 diabetes or heart
failure.
• If you intend to go on a low-fat or low-calorie diet to achieve
gradual weight loss, you should seek advice from your GP
beforehand.
• Your GP can offer you help, support and advice before you start
your diet. During your diet, you should also have regular follow-up
appointments with your GP, to keep track of your progress. They
can also offer support to help you achieve your weight-loss goal
sensibly
