Weighing the right amount isn’t just about falling within a certain number on the scale: While other components of well-being play a role, how much you weigh says a lot about the balance between muscle and body fat. Examples include decreased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and some cancers along with increased energy, increased quality of life and increased positive mental health.
One popular method to calculate what is a healthy weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI); weight is measured in relation to height. Most adults are considered to be at a healthy weight when their BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9. But BMI does not take into account muscle mass, body composition or fat distribution, and it should not be the sole measure. For instance, sportsmen might have high BMI but the body fat can be low.
Other measures of healthy weight are waist circumference, percent body fat, and other lifestyle factors (diet quality, physical activity, and fitness). Healthy weight is also about what feels right to you and to do what you’re capable of doing without feeling sluggish and run down is just as much a part of a healthy weight as a number on a chart.
In the end, what’s a healthy weight is different for everyone. Its best to work on eating a balanced diet, exercising and healthy habits rather than some number in your head.
Calculating Your Waist Circumference
Waist measurements are an easy and noninvasive way to look at health risks associated with weight. Unlike the scale, which only tells you your overall body weight, the waist measurement also offers a glimpse of your abdominal fat, which is the type of fat associated with increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome.
You’ll need a flexible measuring tape to measure your waist circumference. Stand up straight, and wrap the tape around your bare abdomen just above your hip bone ( where your belly button is). Ensure the tape measure is tight but not squeezing the skin and that it’s parallel to the floor. Exhale normally, then take the measurement.
Health experts believe that men whose waists are 40 inches (102 cm) or more and women whose waists are 35 inches (88 cm) or more are at higher risk for those conditions. Even if you are not overweight, extra abdominal fat can increase your risk of heart disease.
Change in waist circumference over time can serve as a useful marker of lifestyle (eg, dietary and exercise) change. When combined with BMI and some of the other health metrics, it paints a picture of your general well-being.
BMI Calculator
The BMI calculator (Body Mass Index) is used as a means of measuring if someone\’s weight is ideal. The BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of the body’s height in meters (m). The Result Your number falls into broad categories underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obese.
The standard BMI categories are:
Below
18.5: Underweight
18.5 – 24.9: Healthy weight
25 – 29.9: Overweight
30 and above: Obese
For example, if you weigh 70 kg and are 1.75 m tall, you have the alert BMI of 22.9, within the range considered healthy.
BMI is fast and easy, but it has limitations. It doesn’t distinguish between fat mass and muscle mass and also doesn’t take into account fat placement. For example, highly trained athletes or very muscular people may have a high BMI even though they don’t have a high percentage of body fat, but, according to the guidelines, someone can have a normal BMI even if they have too much abdominal fat, “which carries higher health risks.
Despite these disadvantages, BMI is a practical screen. To provide the most accurate information for a specific individual, waist measurements, body composition (e.g., percent body fat, body mass index [BMI]), and/or lifestyle factors might also be used.
