A good way to determine if your weight is healthy for your height is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). Being overweight puts strain on your heart and can lead to serious health problems. These problems include:
More than 300,000 lives could be saved in the United States each year if everyone stayed at a healthy weight!
HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR BMI
Your BMI estimates how much you should weigh, based on your height. Here are the steps to calculate it:
For example, a woman who weighs 270 pounds and is 68 inches tall has a BMI of 41.0.
Use the chart below to see what category your BMI falls into, and whether you need to be concerned about your weight.
BMI | CATEGORY |
---|---|
Below 18.5 | Underweight |
18.5 - 24.9 | Healthy |
25.0 - 29.9 | Overweight |
30.0 - 39.9 | Obese |
Over 40 | Morbidly obese |
BMI is not always an accurate way to determine whether you need to lose weight. Here are some exceptions:
Doctors use a few different methods to determine whether you are overweight. Your doctor may also take your waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio into consideration.
In addition, a lot of other factors influence your health. These include:
Your BMI alone cannot predict your health risk, but most experts say that a BMI greater than 30 (obesity) is unhealthy. No matter what your BMI is, exercise can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Remember to always ask your doctor before starting an exercise program.
BMI
Klein S, Romijn JA. Obesity. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 35.
Skelton J. Overweight and obesity. In: Kliegman RM, Jenson HP, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 44.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
MedlinePlus Topics
Images
Read More
Patient Instructions
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.