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Thursday, May 15, 2008

BMI - Do You Know Your Number?

The most recent statistics about obesity should scare you. Do you know what your Body Mass Index (BMI) is? If you did not see the latest report, here is the lowdown: Thirty-two percent of Americans are estimated as being obese. This is indicated by a BMI of greater than 30. This does not include the additional number of overweight individuals. Americans also do not get enough activity with an estimated twenty-two percent of Americans not engaging in any physical activity.

Body Mass Index estimates fatness and overall weight related to height. It is calculated by taking weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

BMI = weight (kg)/[height2 (in meters)] or

BMI = weight (lbs)/[height2 (in inches)] x 703

Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 55 (65")

Calculation: [150 (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is normal, so this person is on the very high end of normal weight for height.

Less that 18.5 is underweight, and 25-29.9 is overweight, with 30 and over indicating obesity.

Preventing obesity is certainly the nations goal. I would not say that maintaining a healthy weight through adulthood is easy, it is not; but it is much easier than losing a large amount of weight. Still, both can be achieved with the right person providing you guidance and support.

Your goal is to get your BMI within the normal range. If your BMI is creeping toward the overweight range, now is the time to do something about it and seek some professional help in order to do so. There is a multitude of nutrition information available to the public, but the tricky part is figuring out what the best resources are for accurate information. A registered dietitian (RD) in private practice, at a local wellness center or hospital will be able to point you in the right direction.

By seeking the advice of a trained nutrition professional, you wont have to worry about deciphering all the information out there. While most people know what it takes to lose weight (less calories in, more calories burned) doing it is a challenge, or almost of third of the country would not be obese.

Obesity increases the risk of disease tremendously. Trust me diabetes and heart disease are not friendly diseases. They slowly kill. Even if you need to lose forty pounds to get to that healthy BMI, losing ten or twenty pounds can really help. It will bring blood sugars down to normal range, and will reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both additional risk factors for heart disease. Obesity also takes its toll on joints. Knee and hip replacements can be prevented if body weight is in the normal range. If you have a family history of arthritis, diabetes or heart disease, you really do want to take heed and lose weight if you need to.

Seek the help of an RD to guide you to a new path of healthy living. You only have one life, and it can be a lot more enjoyable if you can stay mobile and free from disease.

Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN

Registered Dietitian

Nutrition Consulting, Writing, Lectures

Licensed Provider for Real Living Nutrition Services

Tired of dieting? Try a new approach to weight management:

http://www.reallivingnutrition.com/RosanneRust.aspx