What’s Your BMI - Or Does It Matter?

Posted on January 22, 2008

» Filed Under Obesity |


There’s no doubt about it, being overweight is a problem in our society. You only have to walk down the street and look at all of the oversized guts and butts. It seems that time saving devices invented in the 20th century have resulted in less time spent on meal preparation in the 21st century. We have become a country addicted to the ease of the can opener, the microwave and dining out.

One can easily identify those who have ballooned over what is considered normal but that is hardly a scientific assessment. So what is the definition of overweight? A formula was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a screening tool. This formula calculates a number referred to as the body mass index (BMI). BMI replaced the old life insurance tables as a method to gauge healthy weight. The popularity of BMI rose because it needed only to measure height and weight to get results and was easily apply to a large population. The BMI allows people to compare their weight to that of the general population. The following is a description used to define the BMI results:

* Healthy Weight (19-24) Adults in this range are considered to have a healthy weight.

* Overweight (25-29) Adults in this range may have too much body weight for their height

* Obese (30-35) Adults in this range will almost always have a large amount of body fat in relation to their height.

The BMI is not a direct measure of body fat. It is calculated from an individual’s height and weight which includes both muscle and fat. As a result the meaning of the BMI calculation could vary significantly if the ratio of muscle to fat differs. Athletes for example have increased weight due to increased muscularity rather than increased body fat. On the other hand the elderly exhibit the exact opposite. People tend to lose muscle as they age. Therefore, the elderly are inclined to have higher body fat. Another variation for BMI is women tend to have more body fat than men because their bodies are designed to carry babies. Therefore women have more body fat to support pregnancy. As if this information is not confusing enough, there are studies that suggest that percentage body fat may also vary according to ethnic groups. What this suggest is that the BMI ranges listed above may need to be adjusted to consider fitness, sex, age and maybe ethnic background to be more accurate for individual use.

Calculating BMI is inexpensive and easy, defining what BMI means to the individual may not be easy. There are more expensive methods that may yield more accurate body fat measurements such as skinfold thickness measurements, underwater weighing and bioelectrical impedance for example. But these methods are more complex to perform and you need a doctor or fitness professional to assist you to ensure it is done correctly.

The BMI was developed as an easy to use screening tool and should not be considered the final word when it comes to determining if you are overweight and by how much. Don’t be afraid to seek a more accurate assessment from a fitness professional or doctor if you need it. And if you have been inactive for a long period of time you should not start an exercise routine without seeing a doctor first.

http://healthylivingboomerstyle.com

Article Author :Nathaniel_Gibbs


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