WHAT IS OUR IDEAL WEIGHT

 

Ideal weight remains a hot topic as it is directly related to aspects of human health.

In addition to increasing the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, being overweight also increases the risk of developing multiple cancer types. 

Body Mass Index is characteristically used to determine whether a person is of a healthy weight. It's a calculation that divides people into one of four categories: 

 ·        Underweight people with a score less than 18.5;

·        Average weight, with a rating between 18.7 and 23.9;

·        Overheavy with a score of 24 to 26.9; and

·        obese, with a score of 30 or more. 

However, based on height and weight alone, a person's bone, muscle, or fat ratios are not considered. For ex, a person with exceptional muscle tone and low-fat content (such as a sportsperson, bodybuilder, etc.) is extra likely to have a higher BMI than someone with higher fat and lower muscle tone - this happens because the muscle is four times as dense as the adipose tissue.

The effects of age are also not taken into account in the BMI. As you age, the ratio between body fat and lean mass changes. The fraction of body fat rises, but the lean mass decreases. Assessment based only on weight and height will determine that these differences in proportions can be verified. 

Using complementary measurement methods such as waist circumference can give a more accurate and complete indication of the health risk. Waist circumference is a health indicator that, while not perfect, nonetheless indicates the early onset of some disease situations such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia associated with increased waist size.

The ideal is to have less than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women. If the values ​​are greater than 102 cm for men and 88 cm for women, the risk of early onset of cardiovascular disease is very high.

Just remember that the concept of "ideal weight" needs to be considered! First, the ideal weight should be one at which the person is healthy. The most important thing will be to define what your healthy weight is. Therefore, in addition to BMI and waist circumference, the following risk factors should also be considered when determining the ideal body weight:

·        To smoke cigarettes

·        Family history of premature heart disease

·        Genetic

·        high blood sugar

·        high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels

·        high triglycerides

·        hypertension

·        physical inactivity

Conclusion: a healthy weight is individual. It cannot be determined without considering the individual. It is not only influenced by diet and exercise, but should also be a result, not a goal!