Maintaining a healthy weight can lower major health risks.
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall health. An abnormal weight rise throws off the body’s natural equilibrium. The chance of contracting other diseases also rises in tandem with that. Conversely, being underweight can result in a number of health issues.
Why keep weight under control?
There is a deep connection between body weight and health. Body weight is central to the web surrounding good health and various diseases.
Factors related to weight that are closely related to good health include:
Importance of a person according to body height.
Waist size and abdominal fat.
How to gain weight after the age of 25.
Keeping the weight under control is very important to keep the body healthy. When the weight increases more than normal, the body’s own balance is lost. Along with that, the risk of various diseases also increases.
Even if the weight is less than normal, various complications can occur in the body. So for good health, most importance is given to being smoke-free as well as controlling weight.
Complications of overweight and obesity
Overweight and obesity refer to the condition when the body accumulates abnormal amounts of fat, which can threaten health.
From 1975 to 2016, the global obesity rate nearly tripled in these 40 years. Globally, there are currently more deaths from diseases related to overweight and obesity than underweight.
In low- and middle-income countries, children as well as adults are at risk of overweight and obesity. Children in these countries are exposed to low-cost, high-calorie foods. They are high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories—but very low in important nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
Such eating habits as well as a lack of exercise are alarmingly increasing the rate of childhood obesity. On the other hand, there is also the problem of malnutrition.
Overweight and obesity increase the risk of developing various serious diseases and dying at an early age. In the case of people from our subcontinent, if the BMI index is 23 or higher, then they are considered overweight. And if the result is 30 or more, then it is called obesity.
The BMI index is discussed in detail in the later part of this article.
Along with overweight and obesity, excess belly fat increases a person’s risk of developing a variety of serious diseases—and even death.
Serious health problems caused by overweight and obesity include:
heart attack
Various heart diseases
Hypertension or high blood pressure
diabetes (type 2)
Brain stroke
Different types of cancer
Gallstones
Problems with childbearing and intercourse
Asthma
Cataracts in the eyes
High cholesterol
Arthritis or knee painSleep apnea
The risk of these serious health complications can be greatly reduced by simply reducing fat and bringing excess weight to a healthy level.
Complications of weight loss
Being underweight can be caused by not eating enough food, being malnourished, or suffering from a disease. Being abnormally underweight can lead to various health problems. which includes—
Malnutrition
anaemia
Decreased immunity
Bone fragility and osteoporosis
Having problems with menstruation and pregnancy
A healthy and diseased person can naturally be underweight. If he follows healthy eating habits and exercises regularly, weight gain is usually not necessary, even if the weight is slightly lower than normal.
What should be the normal weight according to the height?
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for a healthy lifestyle. And therefore, it is necessary to know what the ideal weight is for you. Through this, you can lose excess weight. If the weight is less, you can take action on that too.
There are several ways to calculate the normal weight of an adult. One such international index is the Body Mass Index (BMI). With the help of this, the ideal weight can be determined for each person according to their height. Apart from BMI, other methods to determine the correct weight include the Devine formula and the Hamui method.
According to the World Health Organisation, men and women of Asian origin, including Bangladeshis, who have a BMI of 23 or more are at increased risk of developing various complex and long-term diseases (such as diabetes).
According to this, what should be the weight of the mentioned population at what height? It is shown in the table below. At the end of the list is a brief discussion of what BMI is and the importance of a normal BMI for good health.
Height (in feet and inches) Weight Range (in kilograms)
4’10” – 4’11” 41 – 52
5’0″ – 5’1″ 43 – 56
5’2″ – 5’3″ 47 – 59
5’4″ – 5’5″ 51 – 68
5’6″ – 5’7″ 54 – 75
5’8″ – 5’9″ 58 – 80
5’10” – 5’11” 61 – 85
6’0″ – 6’1″ 64 – 91
6’2″ – 6’3″ 67 – 96
6’4″ – 6’5″ 70 – 102
What is BMI?
The full form of BMI is ‘Body Mass Index’. It is an international index that determines whether an adult is underweight, normal, or overweight, regardless of gender.
Rules for calculating BMI
BMI is calculated using the weight and height of a boy or girl. Weight is measured in kg, and height is measured in meters. BMI is calculated by dividing the total weight by the square of the height. That is, the formula for determining BMI is:
Let’s break down the formula for calculating BMI step by step:
1. Weight: The weight should be measured in kilograms (kg). It represents the total body weight of the individual.
2. Height: The height should be measured in meters (m). It represents the vertical measurement of the individual’s body.
3. Square of the Height: To calculate the square of the height, you multiply the height value by itself. This step is necessary because BMI is a ratio that compares weight to the square of height.
4. Divide Weight by the Square of Height: Once you have the square of the height, you divide the weight by the square of the height. This division is the final step to obtain the BMI value.
The resulting value of this calculation is the BMI, which provides an estimate of the individual’s body composition relative to their height. It is used as a general indicator of whether a person’s weight is within a healthy range.
Internationally, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered the correct weight for height.
BMI results
Underweight or abnormally low weight below 18.5
18.5 to 24.9 is a normal weight.
25.0 to 29.9 overweight
30 or more obese
This calculation is made for the average people of all countries in the world. However, the normal BMI is slightly different for Asians, blacks, and some ethnic minorities.
A BMI of 23 or higher is associated with a higher risk of various diseases (e.g., diabetes). In addition, a BMI greater than 23 increases the risk of various long-term health complications, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, in some ethnic minorities, including Indians, Asians, and blacks.
A BMI of 23 or higher increases the risk of these diseases.
A BMI of 27.5 or higher has a higher risk of developing these health complications.
As BMI increases, so does the risk of serious diseases. So measures should be taken to keep the BMI below 23 to avoid these risks. This requires healthy eating habits and physical activity.
Need to keep in mind
If someone’s current BMI is within the normal range, if weight and obesity continue to increase, the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones, and type 2 diabetes increases accordingly.
Your weight may be at a point where a few extra pounds would still keep you within the normal BMI range. In this case, all you have to do is maintain the current weight. You have to get out of the idea that you can gain weight only if you have time to do so.
Other considerations besides BMI
Although BMI is useful in determining overweight, the index has some limitations. One of them is that it is not possible to calculate the amount of body fat with the help of BMI.
Moreover, the index only tells whether the weight is more than normal or not. No distinction is made as to what is behind the excess weight—excess fat, muscle, or bone mass. Moreover, age and gender are not taken into account in calculating BMI.
As a result,
Someone who is muscular may be classified as ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ despite having less body fat.
People who lose muscle mass with age are considered to be of ‘normal’ weight, although they may be overweight.
Weight gain due to pregnancy also increases BMI. So BMI should be calculated using pre-pregnancy weight to get accurate results.
However, despite these limitations, the role of BMI as a relatively simple and convenient method is important.
In addition to BMI, awareness of long-term disease risk is important. Below are three such points:
1. Be careful with belly fat
Apart from being overweight, belly fat is also a health risk. Excess fat increases the risk of serious diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and brain stroke.
A gain of 2–3 inches of belly fat over a few years can also be cause for concern. In this case, you should rethink your daily food habits and physical activity.
Why is excess fat harmful?
Studies have shown that excess body fat tends to accumulate in the mid-abdomen area (around the navel). Abdominal fat is more likely to produce different hormones and chemicals than fat elsewhere in the body. These hormones and chemicals affect our health.
Even if the weight and BMI are in the normal range, excess abdominal fat alone is associated with the risk of various serious diseases.
A study was conducted on the relationship between BMI and abdominal fat in 650,000 men and women. It found that between two people of the same BMI, the one with more abdominal fat was more likely to die prematurely.
How to take waist measurement
This method of measuring is different from the way waist measurements are taken when making clothes. You can accurately determine the size of the stomach in the following ways: A measuring tape should be used for this.
You can easily find out your waist size by following the three steps below:
1. Find the highest point of your hip bone by pressing gently on both sides of the waist.
2. Now take a big breath and release the breath naturally.
3. In this position, measure by twisting the tape around the waist with the measuring tape just above the point taken out.
For most people, the highest point of the hip bone is along the navel. For some, the point may be a little lower. In that case, when measuring, the tape should be lowered a little below the navel and caught just above the waistbone.
There are two things to keep in mind while tying the ribbon:
Not too tight or too loose
So that the ribbon is parallel to the floor.
What should be the waist size?
Regardless of your height, weight, or BMI, excess belly fat should be reduced with a proper diet and regular exercise.
A healthy lifestyle should be followed in order to keep the lost weight and belly fat from returning. Here’s what the waist size should be to reduce the risk of heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
31.5 inches or below 80 cm for women
Below 37 inches, or 94 cm for men
If the abdominal size exceeds this limit, measures to reduce weight and obesity are necessary.
In addition, if this measurement is 34 inches (88 cm) for women and 40 inches (102 cm) or more for men, then the health risks are greatly increased. In this case, consult a doctor immediately.
2. Waist to hip ratio
The waist-to-hip ratio is known as the waist-to-hip ratio in English. This ratio is calculated by dividing the stomach or waist size by the hip size. The ratio is quite useful in getting an idea of the risk of various long-term diseases.
The ratio should not be more than 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women. The ratio indicates the risk of various health problems that go above this limit.
The method of determining waist and hip ratios is not that difficult.
1. First, find out the waist size using the above method.
2. Now measure by twisting the tape along the widest part of the hip.
3. Divide the waist measurement by this measurement.
But if the math seems complicated to you, just using waist size can effectively predict various long-term health risks.
3. Body fat percentage
By this, the percentage of total body fat is known. Along with that, the amount of fat in any part of the body can also be found out through some methods.
These measurements include ‘waist size’ and ‘waist to hip ratio’. Apart from this, the methods by which the amount of fat in the body can be calculated include:
Slide callipers
This method can be used to measure fat in certain parts of the body easily and at a low cost. However, this method is more effective in monitoring the amount of body fat in different parts of the body over a period of time than determining the total body fat ratio. Moreover, the method depends on the individual. e.g., it is not so effective for obese people.
Bio impedance
This method can easily determine the percentage of body fat very quickly and usually gives quite accurate results.
Dexa scan
The DEXA scan is considered the ‘gold standard’ for determining the ratio of various structural components, including body fat. The method calculates the ratio of body fat, bone density, and lean body mass through X-rays.
A DEXA scan provides accurate and reliable readings quickly and safely. In this method, you will know the total body fat ratio as well as how much fat is stored in each place.
But this method is expensive. A scan can cost Rs. 12,000 or more.
