BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)...
Today we commonly estimate whether someone is obese by using the
Body Mass Index concept. Derived from a mathematical formula, BMI was
created in 1835 by Belgian mathematician Lambert Adolphe Jacques
Quetele. Known as the Quetele Index, BMI takes into account weight and
height, that is, mass (kg) divided by height (m)2.
The Body Mass Index however does not include consideration of body
composition (degree of muscularity). This index is most reliable for those
individuals 19 to 70 years of age, some exceptions being those who are
competitive athletes, body builders, pregnant or breast-feeding, or the
chronically ill.
|
Weight (Class)
|
BMI
|
|
Underweight
|
< 18.5
|
|
Normal Weight
|
18.5 – 24.9
|
|
Overweight
|
25.0 - 29.9
|
|
Obese I
|
30.0 – 34.9
|
|
Obese II
|
35.0 – 39.9
|
|
Obese III*
|
40.0 >
|
Your BMI will be provided and updated as you lose weight. To compute
Body Mass Index yourself you can use any of a number of online
calculators;
www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus
The table below is relative to an individual with a normal weight and
waist circumference (40” or less for men and 35” or less for women).
The risks are for Diabetes type II, Hypertension, and Cardiovascular
Disease, as well as for those with an increased waist circumference.
BMI and Disease Risks:
|
Weight
|
BMI
|
Risk
|
Inc. Waist
|
|
Underwt.
|
< 18.5
|
|
|
|
Normal
|
18.5–24.9
|
|
|
|
Overwt.
|
25–29.9
|
Increased
|
HIGH
|
|
Obese I
|
30-34.9
|
High
|
VERY HIGH
|
|
Obese II
|
35–39.9
|
Very High
|
VERY HIGH
|
|
Obese III*
|
40.0 >
|
Extra High
|
EXTREMELY HIGH
|
III* is referred to as Extreme or Morbid Obesity
From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
“Overweight and obesity are the fifth leading risk for global
deaths. At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of
being overweight or obese. In addition, 44% of the diabetes
burden, 23% of the ischaemic heart disease burden and
between 7% and 41% of certain cancer burdens are
attributable to overweight and obesity.”
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html
“Relative to normal weight … grades 2 and 3 obesity were
associated with significantly higher all-cause mortality.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23280227