Healthy Weight

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Healthy Weight

There are many definitions of healthy weight. The National Institutes of Health define healthy weight by BMI, which stands for body mass index. A healthy weight is considered to be one that is between 19 and 25. If the BMI is 25 - 29, an adult is considered overweight. If the BMI is 30 or greater, the person is considered to be obese.

Health risks rise with BMI. Health risks include heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, many types of cancer, gall bladder disease, sleep apnea, gout, osteoarthritis, decreased mobility, degenerative joint disease of hips and knees, fatty liver disease, and reduced fertility.

You can determine your BMI from the following table. Find your height in inches by looking in column 1. Then go across until you find your approximate weight. Then read up the chart to find your BMI in the first row. For BMI information for children, see below.

         

BMI (Body Mass Index)
Height (inches) 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
58 86 91 96 100 105 110 115 120 124 129 134 139 144 148 153 158 163 167 172 177 182 187 191
59 89 94 99 104 109 114 119 124 129 134 139 144 149 153 158 163 168 173 178 183 188 193 198
60 92 97 102 108 113 118 123 128 133 138 143 148 154 159 164 169 174 179 184 189 195 200 205
61 95 101 106 111 116 122 127 132 138 143 148 153 159 164 169 175 180 185 191 196 201 206 212
62 98 104 109 115 120 126 131 137 142 148 153 159 164 169 175 180 186 191 197 202 208 213 219
63 102 107 113 119 124 130 135 141 147 152 158 164 169 175 181 186 192 198 203 209 215 220 226
64 105 111 117 122 128 134 140 146 151 157 163 169 175 181 186 192 198 204 210 216 221 227 233
65 108 114 120 126 132 138 144 150 156 162 168 174 180 186 192 198 204 210 216 222 228 234 240
66 112 118 124 130 136 142 149 155 161 167 173 180 186 192 198 204 211 217 223 229 235 242 248
67 115 121 128 134 140 147 153 160 166 172 179 185 192 198 204 211 217 223 230 236 243 249 255
68 118 125 132 138 145 151 158 164 171 178 184 191 197 204 210 217 224 230 237 243 250 256 263
69 122 129 135 142 149 156 163 169 176 183 190 196 203 210 217 223 230 237 244 251 257 264 271
70 125 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 223 230 237 244 251 258 265 272 279
71 129 136 143 151 158 165 172 179 186 194 201 208 215 222 229 237 244 251 258 265 272 280 287
72 133 140 147 155 162 170 177 184 192 199 206 214 221 229 236 243 251 258 265 273 280 288 295
73 136 144 152 159 167 174 182 189 197 205 212 220 227 235 243 250 258 265 273 280 288 296 303
74 140 148 156 164 171 179 187 195 203 210 218 226 234 241 249 257 265 273 280 288 296 304 312
75 144 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 248 256 264 272 280 288 296 304 312 320
76 148 156 164 173 181 189 197 205 214 222 230 238 246 255 263 271 279 288 296 304 312 320 329
77 152 160 169 177 186 194 202 211 219 228 236 245 253 261 270 278 287 295 304 312 320 329 337
78 156 164 173 182 190 199 208 216 225 234 242 251 260 268 277 286 294 303 312 320 329 337 346
79 160 169 178 186 195 204 213 222 231 240 249 257 266 275 284 293 302 311 320 328 337 346 355
80 164 173 182 191 200 209 218 228 237 246 255 264 273 282 291 300 309 319 328 337 346 355 364
81 168 177 187 196 205 215 224 233 243 252 261 271 280 289 299 308 317 327 336 345 355 364 373
82 172 182 191 201 210 220 230 239 249 258 268 277 287 296 306 316 325 335 344 354 363 373 383

Code: BMI under 19: Underweight        BMI 19 - 25: Healthy weight    BMI 26-30 Overweight

            BMI 31 - 39: Very overweight     BMI 40 and above: Extremely overweight

People who carry most of their excess weight around their waist or on their upper body will be at higher risk of developing many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and some kinds of cancer. Weight loss will be especially beneficial for these people. If your waist circumference is greater than 40" for men or 35" for women, your health will be improved by losing weight. See Metabolic Syndrome.

For information about low carb diets for weight loss, click here. For tips and recipes for low carb diets, click here.

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Childhood weight

To assess your child's weight status, go to the BMI calculator  Then click on the graph to access the BMI calculator. This program works for children only. It will tell you where your child's BMI status for age places your child with respect to other children of the same age. Children who fall in the 85-94 percentile range are "at risk for overweight." Children who are over the 95th percentile are "overweight." Risks for kids who are overweight include continuing to be overweight into adulthood, and many health concerns, such as elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, joint problems, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and more. You owe it to your child to support him or her in a positive way, by being a good role model and helping the child reach a healthy weight. We offer the SHAPEDOWN program for childhood weight control.

 

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If you have any comments or questions, email us at info@netRD.com. This page was last updated on January 09, 2010.

Original web design by Julie Wehmeyer, while she was a dietetic intern at UIC