Ideal Weight and BMI – familydoctor.org

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for your general health. When it is overweight or has obesity, it has an increased risk of developing certain conditions. These could include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or heart disease. In fact, some health experts believe that having an overweight can significantly increase their risk of complications of certain infections, such as the COVID-19 virus. But how do you know what your ideal weight is? One way to measure it is called BMI, or body mass index.

Way to the best health

Each person has an BMI. It is a number that estimates how much body fat it has. The BMI is calculated using its weight and height, and it can be a good indicator to see if its weight is healthy for the top it has. There are many BMI calculators on the Internet that you can use to see what your BMI is. There are also graphics that can tell you what is

You can even calculate it yourself:

• Multiply your weight in pounds by 703
• Divide that answer for its height in inches
• Divide that answer for its height in inches again

For example, taking a man who weighs 200 pounds and measures 6 feet high (72 inches):

200 x 703 = 140,600

140,600 / 72 = 1,953

1,953 / 72 = 27.1

The BMI of this man would be 27.1.

An BMI that is low could mean that it does not have enough body fat and has low weight. A high BMI could mean that you have too much body fat and you are overweight. To determine what your BMI means, use the following table.

Waist measurement

Another tool that doctors can use to see if you have a healthy weight is the measurement of your waist. This measures how much fat is around the waist. The research has shown that the highest levels of fat around its waist (sometimes called «belly fat») increase their risk of developing conditions related to obesity, such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

For men, a waist measurement of more than 40 inches means that they have a higher risk of developing conditions related to obesity. For women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches means that they have a greater risk of developing these conditions.

Things to consider

BMI is not always the best way to know if it has a healthy weight. There are some people whose BMIs may not be a good reflection of the amount of body fat they have. These include:

• Athletes or people with a muscular construction.Athletes generally have more muscle than the average person. The muscle weighs more than fat. Therefore, the weight of an athlete will not be a good indicator of how much fat in its body. They will tend to have higher BMI.
• Older adults. People tend to lose muscle mass as they age. So, the elderly have more body fat than the average person. Its BMIs could be higher. It is often better for an older person to have an BMI of 25 to 27 instead of less than 25. This can help prevent osteoporosis (bone thinning).
• Children. For children and adolescents, their BMIs also depend on their age and sex. They have a different calculation for your BMI.
• Gender. Males generally have more muscle mass than females, so they often have a higher BMI.

Due to these limitations, the BMI should only be used as a detection tool. This means that it can be the starting point for a conversation with your doctor about your weight. It should not be used to determine whether it is overweight or not. Often, if you have a high BMI and an exercise routine begins, you can also see an increase in your BMI or not reduce your BMI due to the increase in muscle weight. In this case, observing to see if your clothes fit or the waist is falling could be a better estimate of a healthy change instead of your weight on the scale.

Questions to ask your doctor

• Where does my BMI falls in the table of what is a healthy weight for my height?
• Do BMI calculators differ for men and women?
• What other factors tell you if I have overweight or not?
• Do I need to lose weight?
• What is the best way to lose weight?

Resources

Centers for disease control and prevention: Body mass index (BMI)

National Heart Institute, Lungs and Blood: Calculate your body mass index

Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicans

This information provides a general description and may not be applied to all. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this topic.