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As researchers have learned more about diet and weight and their
effects on health, it has become clearer that determining whether or not
someone is obese is not simply a matter of how many pounds he or she weighs.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute one of the key
measures to examine is the Body Mass Index, or BMI.
BMI is generally related to the amount of body fat. It is not
related to gender. Higher BMIs usually mean higher body fat. When a person’s
BMI is 30 or higher, studies have found the individual to have an increased
chance of having high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain
types of cancer, arthritis, and breathing problems. The reason – the heart,
lung, and joints are supporting a greater mass than they were designed to
handle.
BMI is basically a ratio of a person’s weight to their height. A
BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered the best by most health professionals.
A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight and one 30 or above is considered
obese.
Do you have more mass than your heart can handle?
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