Checking up on your weight and waistline
More than half the people are overweight, and of those, 22% are obese. This proportion is on the rise and increasingly younger individuals are facing the problem. Excess weight significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other illnesses.
Fortunately, changes to the level of physical activity and to nutrition can make a difference. You don’t need “miracle diets” or weight-loss products – which are often bad for you – to control your weight. Several factors can explain weight gain, but it’s not always easy to recognize, or even understand them. Here are a few tips to help you identify them:
- too many calories
- too little exercise
- family history
- unhealthy eating habits
- stopping smoking
- taking certain medications
- “couch potato” environments
How to Check
The Canadian body weight classification system uses two indicators to evaluate the possible risk of health problems associated with either an excess or insufficiency of weight: body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. This system is for use with adults age 18 years and over with the exception of pregnant and lactating women
What is the BMI?
The body mass index (BMI) allows us to evaluate if a person’s weight represents a health risk.
| BMI | Weight Category | Risk of health problems |
| Less than 18.5 | Underweight | Increased |
| 18.5 - 24.9 | Normal weight | Least |
| 25 - 29.9 | Overweight | Increased |
| Over 30.0 | Obese | High to very high |
To calculate your BMI, click here, or simply ask your physician.
The BMI only applies to people 18 years or older. In addition, if you’re over 65 years or if your muscles are very developed, your BMI can be slightly higher than 25 without increasing the risks to your health.
Source: Health Canada. Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults, 2003.
Waistline: A Weighty Measurement
|
The risk of disease increases when the excess weight is localized around the waist rather than elsewhere on the body. Where do you find yourself? With the help of a tape measure, measure your waist circumference halfway between the top of your hipbone and the bottom of your ribcage, without sucking in your stomach. |
| Waist Circumference Measurement | Risk of suffering from CVD and Diabetes | |
| Normal Range of Waistline | Men: less than 94 cm (37 in) Women: less than à 80 cm (32 in) |
Least |
| Abdmonial Heaviness | Men: between 94 and 102 cm (37 and 40 in) Women: between 80 and 88 cm (32 and 35 in) |
Increased |
| Abdominal Obesity | Men: more than or equal to 102 cm (40 in) Women: more than or equal to 88 cm (35 po) |
High |
Sources:
- Lean et al. Waist circumference as a measure for indicating need for weight management, BMJ 1995;311:158-161. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/311/6998/158 (consulted December 29, 2007)
- World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic – Report of a WHO consultation, Genève, 2000. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/who_trs_894.pdf (consulted December 29, 2007)
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