The easiest
way to find out if you should be concerned about your weight is to determine
your Body Mass Index or BMI. It is a number, usually between 16 and 40
that is calculated from your height and weight. The higher your BMI, the
greater your risk.
The BMI categories
are: Healthy Weight, Moderately Overweight and Severely Overweight. These
categories are based on the government's 1998 Clinical Guidelines on the
Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in
Adults.
Calculate
Your Body Mass Index
Healthy Weight: Index Number
19-25
Moderately
Overweight:Index Number 25-29
Severely
Overweight: Index
Number 30 or Higher
Return
to Diet-to-Go Home Page
BMI values apply to both
men and women, regardless of their frame size or muscle mass. Please note
the following exceptions.
BMI Doesn't Work For:
-
Anyone Less Than 18 Years Old
-
Competitive Athletes and
Body Builders
-
Pregnant or Nursing Women
-
Frail or Sedentary Elderly Persons
If your BMI indicates that you
are either Moderately Over Weight or Severely Over Weight, you need to
start and maintain a healthy lifestyle as advocated in the Diet-to-Go 25-in-10
Plan. Follow this plan and you will see your BMI drop to a healthy
weight.
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