Weight Related Health Risks & Factors
Weight Risk Assessment
According to the US National Heart Lung
and Blood Institute guidelines, an assessment of risks associated with
obesity and overweight involves using three key measures:
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Waist Circumference
- Other Risk factors for Diseases Associated with Obesity
The BMI is a measure of your weight relative
to your height and waist circumference measures abdominal fat. Combining
these with information about your additional risk factors yields your
risk for developing obesity-associated diseases.
Assessing Your Weight Risk
BMI is a reliable indicator of total body
fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid
for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits are:
- It may overestimate body fat in athletes
and others who have a muscular build.
- It may underestimate body fat in older
persons and others who have lost muscle mass.
- Use the BMI calculator or tables to
estimate your total body fat.
The BMI score means the following:
Below 19 means underweight.
19 - 24.9 means normal weight.
25.0 - 29.9 means overweight.
30.0 + means obese.
2. Check Your Waist Circumference
Determine your waist circumference
by placing a measuring tape snugly around your waist. It is a good indicator
of your abdominal fat which is another predictor of your risk for developing
risk factors for heart disease and other diseases. This risk increases
with a waist measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in
women.
See also Waist-Hip
Ratio
3. Check Your Other Weight Risk Factors
Besides being overweight or obese, there
are additional risk factors to consider.
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High LDL-cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol)
Low HDL-cholesterol ("good" cholesterol)
High triglycerides
High blood glucose (sugar)
Family history of premature heart disease
Physical inactivity
Cigarette smoking
4. Weight Risk Assessment
For people who are considered obese (BMI
greater than or equal to 30) or those who are overweight (BMI of 25 to
29.9) and have two or more risk factors, the guidelines recommend weight
loss. Even a small weight loss (just 10 percent of your current weight)
will help to lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.
Patients who are overweight, do not have a high waist measurement, and
have less than 2 risk factors may need to prevent further weight gain
rather than lose weight.
Talk to your doctor to see if you are at
an increased risk and if you should lose weight. Your doctor will evaluate
your BMI, waist measurement, and others risk factors for heart disease.
People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of developing
high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders,
type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers, and even
a small weight loss (just 10 percent of your current weight) will help
to lower your risk of developing those diseases.
Sources include: National Heart Lung and
Blood Institute.
For more about weight,
health and metabolic disorders, see Insulin
Resistance |
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