HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT|OBESE + HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT

The most popular question that is always asked when it comes to weight loss is how much one should weigh for a given age and height. Calculating our BMI is one of the ways to determine if we are normal, overweight or obese.

When determining how much one should weight, the persons height, age, bone density, muscle fat ratio and sex should be taken into account. BMI uses only weight and height to determine if one is overweight.

However, while some health experts say BMI is the best method to determine if an individual is overweight, Recent research has shown that BMI alone should not be used to determine if one is overweight because muscle-fat ration and bone density can give a false overweight or underweight results.

1 How to use BMI to determine if you are normal, overweight or obese

One of the ways to determine if you are normal, overweight or obese is to calculate your BMI. It is a very easy procedure and you can do this at home or at a health facility.

You will need 2 values to determine your BMI; your weight in Kg (for example 75Kg) and your height in meters (for example 1.65 m).

Calculate your BMI using the formula below:

BMI = Weight/Height²  

Weight is in kilograms and height is in meters

underweight: less than 18.5
Normal|healthy:18.5-24.9
Overweight:25-29.9

Obese:greater than 30

Example: Jane has a weight of 75 kg and her height is 1.65m. Her BMI is:

75/ (1.65)² = 75/ (1.65×1.65) = 75/2.7225 =27.55

A value of 27.55 shows that Jane is overweight. 

Short comings of BMI

• BMI has not taken into account that someone with  low bone density (osteoporosis) might get a false BMI reading. A person who has a low bone density may weight less than someone who has the same body fat and height. BMI will therefore consider the person with low bone density to be healthy, whereas he is not.
• BMI does not take into account muscle mass. A wrestler may have a higher BMI than an overweight person, whereas he is healthier than the overweight person. This is because his excess weight is due to his well built up muscles and not necessarily body fats

2 Using Waist-to-height ratio to determine if you are normal or are at risk of developing hypertension|cardiovascular diseases

According to Doctor Margaret Ashwell who worked and the British Nutritional Foundation and other health experts across the globe, keeping your waist circumference to less than half of your height can help you stay healthy and keep track of your weight.

BMI does not take into account, fat that is stored around the abdomen and internal organs. Fat stored in the abdomen is more dangerous than fat that is stored around the gluteal area or hips.

• Your waist should not measure more than half your height.
• If your waist measures more than half your height, then you are at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Example:A woman who has a height of 170 cm should make sure that her waist circumference is below 85 cm

This is easy and it can be done at home with a measuring tape

3 Using Waist-to-hip ration to determine if you are normal or are at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases

image source: wikipedia.org

Waist-to-hip ratio is another tool to determine if your weight is normal. It is calculated by dividing the circumference of your waist (measured above the belly button) by the circumference of your hips.

Example:If a woman has a waist circumference of 90 cm and a hip circumference of 110 cm, her waist-to-hip ratio is 90 divided by 110 which is 0.82

For females:

• A waist-hip ratio of 0.9 and above means you are at risk of having diseases of the cardiovascular system

• A waist-hip ratio of 0.80-0.89 means you are at moderate risk of having diseases of the cardiovascular system

• A waist-hip Ratio of less than 0.8 means your chances of having diseases of the cardiovascular system are low.

For males:

• A waist-hip ratio of 1 and above means you are at risk of having diseases of the cardiovascular system

• A waist-hip ratio of 0.9 to 0.99 means you are at moderate risk of having diseases of the cardiovascular system

• A waist-hip Ratio of less than 0.9 means your chances of having diseases of the cardiovascular system are low.

Studies have shown that a waist-hip ratio is more effective in predicting and preventing diseases of the cardiovascular system that BMI.

Are you overweight|Obese?

Losing weight is one of the best decisions you can make. Here is what you can do.
1) Take a weight loss supplement: Taking a weight loss supplement can help you burn down fats faster and achieve results faster. one thing though, you have to stick to directions and not overdose, because drastic weight loss is not the best. 
We recommend:
Garcinia Cambogia plus
Raspberry ketone plus
Green coffee plus
If you want to chose from a wide variety of weight loss supplements, visit weightworld, an online shop that is reputed for selling the best weight loss products at very cheap prices.

Visit the weightworld online store to see the variety of weight loss supplements and products they have to offer. 

2) Eat foods that cause weight loss
If you prefer losing weight without supplements|pills, you can eat foods that have been scientifically proven to enhance and speed up weight loss.
See the 13 foods that have been scientifically proven to enhance weight loss. 

Further reading: How to lose weight fast.

Sources:

Health status
Telegraph.co.uk