Body mass index (BMI) is a measure that uses your height and weight to determine if your weight is healthy. The BMI calculation divides an adult’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. For example, a BMI of 25 means 25 kg/m2.
BMI Accuracy
BMI takes into account natural variations in body shape and provides a healthy weight range for a given height. In addition to measuring your BMI, health professionals may consider other factors when assessing whether you are at a healthy weight. much denser than fat, so very muscular people like heavyweight boxers, lifters, and athletes can still be at a healthy weight despite their BMI being classified as obese. Your ethnic group can also affect your risk for some health conditions. South Asian adults may be at higher risk for some health conditions, including diabetes, with a BMI of 23, which is generally considered healthy.
BMI should not be used as a measure if you are pregnant. Then Contact your midwife or GP if you are concerned about your weight.
BMI ranges
For most adult men, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range. For children and young people aged 2 to 18, the BMI calculation takes into account age and gender as well as height and weight.
If Your BMI Is:
- Below 18.5 – You’re In The Underweight Range
- BMI Between 18.5 And 24.9 – You’re In The Healthy Weight Range
- Between 25 And 29.9 – You’re In The Overweight Range
- Between 30 And 39.9 – You’re In The Obese Range
What Is The Health Ill Effect Of A High BMI?
When it comes to the amount of body fat you carry, the stakes are high. Obesity and high levels of body fat carry a variety of health consequences and can affect your overall health and quality of life. They include:
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol Levels
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Gallbladder Disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep Apnea
- Chronic Inflammation And Pain
- Certain Types Of Cancer
- Mental Disorders Such As Anxiety And Depression
- Increased Risk Of Death
How To Measure Your BMI
During your annual physical exam, your doctor will typically measure your height and weight. Based on this information, your BMI will be recorded. Between visits to your doctor, you can monitor your BMI yourself by weighing yourself and using your BMI calculator to get up-to-date readings.
BMI Measurement For Children And Adolescents
Child and adolescent BMI are measured using the same formula as adult BMI, but taking age and gender into account. This is due to fluctuations in BMI during child development, which can make a difference. Talk to your child’s pediatrician about how their BMI is changing and what to expect as they get older.
Don’t Worry About Crash Dieting
Have you ever tried a serious diet to lose weight quickly before an event? Or trying to keep up with so many food trends that you jump from one to the next? Happens. But these “quick fix” diets don’t work in the long run and are certainly not the best way to lower your BMI. You’ll likely lose weight quickly by making the drastic change, but changing your eating habits in this way indefinitely isn’t sustainable. A balanced, calorie-reduced diet is the ticket to a healthy BMI – the safe way.
By simply switching to healthier foods, reducing portion sizes, and eating fewer high-calorie foods and beverages, you’re more likely to maintain a healthy BMI and keep excess weight off.
Look Out For Hidden Sugars
The government recommends that adults should not consume more than 30 g of sugar per day (equivalent to about 7 sugar lumps), children aged 7 to 10 should not consume more than 24 g of free sugar per day (6 sugar lumps) and children aged 4 to 6 years of age consume no more than 19 g of free sugars per day (5 sugar cubes). Consuming more than the recommended amount of sugar can be a real barrier to achieving or maintaining a healthy BMI. When trying to lose weight, many of us decide to limit sweets and sodas, but unfortunately, sugar often creeps into many unexpected foods.
Examples Include:
- Pasta sauces
- Granola and cereal bars
- Salad dressings
- Tinned fruit in syrup
- Coleslaw
- Ketchup
- Shop-bought soups
As you try to reduce your sugar intake, consider the surprising sources of hidden sugars as well as the more obvious ones like cake and chocolate. its sugar content.
Make Your Heart Beat Faster
It’s no secret that the more exercise you do, you can healthily lower your BMI. The NHS recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking, hiking, or cycling) or 75, minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.
You should combine cardio and strength training to strengthen key muscles for the best weight loss results. Intense activities include:
- Running Or Jogging
- Fast swimming
- Cycling fast or uphill
- Gymnastics
- Using a skipping rope
- Martial arts
- Playing sports like football, rugby, and netball
And don’t worry about the cold weather ahead. Exercising outdoors in winter still has many advantages, such as Better immunity and increased metabolism, so you don’t have to be a member of the gym if you don’t want to.
Just Move More
Sometimes it’s hard to find the time to exercise properly – work and family commitments can get in the way. If you want to add more movement to your everyday life but can’t commit to a strict fitness regimen, just get moving throughout the day to burn calories.
If possible, walk or bike to work and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Not only do these healthy changes result in a healthier BMI, but they are also very appropriate given current social distancing guidelines. Using a pedometer on your phone is a great way to see how much you’re moving from day to day. If you can’t go to the gym, first try to walk 10,000 steps a day, and then if you’re just running errands. you can help more than I think.
