HEALTH CHECK
"OBESITY IS RECOGNISED AS THE NUMBER ONE PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE FACING THIS COUNTRY", Change For Life 2009
Body Mass Index
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool that can be used to tell how healthy a person’s weight is for their height.
To work out your BMI divide your weight in kilograms by your height in squared metres.
The BMI weight ranges are outlined below.
< 18.4 – you are underweight for your height
Between 18.5-24.9 – you are an ideal weight for your height
Between 25 – 29.9 – you are over your ideal weight for your height
Between 30 – 39.9 – you are obese
> 40 – you are very obese
If you have a BMI of over 25, you need to lose weight because you have an increased risk of developing serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and several forms of cancer. If your BMI is over 30 you need to make some immediate changes to your lifestyle in order to lose weight.
Waist-hip ratio
Measuring your waist-hip ratio is another way to see if you are at risk of heart disease.
A ratio of more than 0.85 for women and 0.95 for men means that you might have a predisposition to heart disease and that you should be extra careful with your diet and lifestyle. 'Apple' shaped people are more likely to have health related risks than 'pear' shaped people.
To work out your waist-hip ratio, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.
If you are unhappy with your result from either one of the health assessments, please do not hesitate to CONTACT US to find out how you can change your results for life.
PLEASE NOTE
- This is general advice for adults only; it does not apply to children
- When you work out your BMI, remember to take in to account your body frame & build – your BMI may not be accurate if, for example you are a weight trainer, an athlete, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Your BMI may not be accurate if you are over the age of 60 because your bones may weigh less as you get older.