Know Your BMI

Tired of being constantly told off about how unhealthy your lifestyle is? Unfortunately it has been argued that a high Body Mass Index can lead to serious health problems and can decrease your life expectancy.  Lighter Life, a weight-loss and weight-management programme for people who are clinically obese, has launched a campaign to highlight the importance of knowing your BMI (Body Mass Index.)  

What is BMI?

Body Mass Index determines whether your current weight poses any danger to your health. Your weight is divided by your height and is squared to reach a final number which is your BMI. The 18.5 - 24.9 band is seen as healthy, while 25 + is overweight and 30 is obese, increasing the risks of strokes, heart disease and diabetes. It is important to remember that BMI can also indicate the dangers of being underweight which can potentially affect fertility, bone strength and can lead to fatigue.

Celebrity Body Mass Indexes have been estimated at the following:

Victoria Beckham -BMI - 15.3 - Underweight

Dawn French - BMI – 36.0- Obese 

Jennifer Lopez - BMI – 20- Healthy

The Survey

In a nationally representative survey, BMRB polled more than 1000 adults, and calculated their BMIs. The results showed that a quarter of respondents did not know what BMI means. Alarmingly, half of the total had no idea how it was measured, and three quarters, when asked, did not recognise that a BMI of 31 would make them obese. One in eight who thought they were normal - representing 1.7 million people - were alarmingly overweight. Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood of having high blood pressure and cholesterol which are major risk factors for stroke.  But strokes can be prevented. Healthy eating and regular exercise is invaluable in preventing such illnesses from occuring. Even moderate physical activity can reduce the risks by 27%. 

Criticism of BMI

However the height to weight ratio method of BMI has been criticised by health professionals as it does not take into account a person’s body fat content.  A BMI is not accurate if you are an athlete or if you are very muscular (as muscle weighs more than fat) are pregnant or breast feeding. The standard BMI calculation is also not suitable for children. The research suggesting that BMI is no longer the best predictor of future health problems does not mean you should ignore your BMI. Lighter Life advocates that you should take into account both your BMI and your waist measurements when determining if you have any serious health risks.

Other Risk Factors

Don't forget, that abdominal fat is only one risk factor. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, a lack of a nutritious diet and exercise and stress are other important illness risk factors that need to be addressed. The Stroke Association Charity and Lighter Life both advise that people consult their doctor before embarking on any diet to reduce weight.

For further information on Body Mass Index or weight loss methods, and further help you may like to visit the following links;

Dietics
Nutritional Therapist
Personal Trainer
Health Coach