Health Insurance Daily

How Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference Impact Your Health

By Amy K. Ertel, MD

Did you know that 64.5 % of adults in the US are overweight or obese? Obesity is a growing problem in America today and is the primary cause of many major illnesses like Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.

It is possible to assess your risk of obesity related illnesses by using two measurements widely used in the health care field. The first measurement is body mass index (BMI).

BMI measures your weight in relation to your height, and is fairly accurate in determining if you are a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. To measure BMI, you need your weight in pounds and your height in inches.

The equation used is:

.................. weight (pounds) x 703
BMI= ------------------------------------
.................. height (inches ) squared

For example, a person who weighs 200 pounds and is 5 ft. 5 inches tall would be:

.......... 200 X 703 ...............140600
BMI=------------------ = ------------------- = 33.3
.......... 65 x 65 ........................4225

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30 is considered obese.

The second measurement is the waist circumference. Where you carry your body fat is also important in determining your risk of medical problems.

If your body fat is carried around your upper body and waist, your risk of health problems is higher than if you carry your body fat around your hips and thighs.

Women need to have a waist circumference less than 35 and men need to have a waist circumference of less than 40. The correct way to measure your waist circumference is to use a tape measure and place snugly around your waist right above your pelvis bones.

Be sure to keep your tape measure parallel to the floor and take the measurement after you exhale completely.

Using both of these measurements will help you evaluate if you are at a healthy weight.

posted by Mike @ 8:39 AM