Are you a couple of pounds overweight? Maybe more than a couple? Being overweight can be a serious health problem. Excess weight raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc., and prevents you from dynamic life, including keeping up with your children or staying active with family and friends. Reaching your ideal weight and staying there not only improves your health, but it can change your outlook on life.
There are 3 common methods that can help you answer the question “What is my healthy weight?”
Method #1: BMI – Body mass index
Your BMI is a measure of your weight in relation to your height. You can calculate your BMI using calculator or review our chart.
Health authorities worldwide, mostly agree that:
- People with a BMI over 30 is obese.
- A person with a BMI between 25 and 30 is classed as overweight.
- A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is ideal.
- Somebody with a BMI of less than 18.5 is underweight.
However, health authorities in some countries say the lower limit for BMI is 20 and anything below it is underweight.
Method #2: Body fat percentage
Your body fat percentage is the weight of your fat divided by your total weight. The result shows your storage fat and your essential fat.
The essential fat is the amount of fat we need to survive. Men require a lower percentage than women. Essential fat is 10%-13% in women, and 2%-5% in men. The storage fat protects your internal organs in the abdomen and chest. It consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue. The total body fat percentage is storage fat plus essential fat.
The American Council on Exercise recommends the following percentages:
1. Essential fat: Men 2-4%; Women 10-12%
2. Total fat (total fat percentages are divided up by body type):
- Athletes: Men 6-13%; Women 14-20%
- Non-athletes: Men 14-17%; Women 21-24
Acceptable: Men 18-25%; Women 25-31%
Overweight: Men 26-37%; Women 32-41%
Obese: Men 38% or more; Women 42% or more
Many specialists say that calculating individuals’ body fat ratio is the best approach for gauging their fitness level – it is the only measurement that includes the body’s true structure.
Method #3: WHR – Waist-hip ratio
A waist-hip ratio (WHR) is the measurement of the circumference of your waist to that of your hips. You should measure the smallest circumference of your waist, usually it is just above your belly button. Divide the number to the circumference of your hip at its widest part.
If a woman’s waist is 29 inches and her hips are 33 inches, her WHR is 29 divided by 33 = 0.87.
Here is a breakdown of WHR linked to risk of cardiovascular health issues.
Female WHR:
• Less than 0.8 – low risk
• 0.8 to 0.89 – moderate risk
• 0.9 or over – high risk
Male WHR:
• Less than 0.9 – low risk
• 0.9 to 0.99 – moderate risk
• 1 or over – high risk
The waist-hip ratio is said to be a better indicator of whether their body weight is healthy. Unlike the BMI, it shows their risks of developing serious health problems. Research indicates that if WHR were to replace BMI as a predictor of heart attack worldwide, figures would include many more people.