Dr. Tim Says...

Body Mass Index

October 3, 2005

There are lots of ways to measure someone’s weight. Simple scales can be deceiving because a 6 foot tall man who is 225 pounds and very fit can be very healthy while one who is the same height and weight but a couch potato might have high blood pressure and diabetes. There are ways to estimate the percentage of body fat using measures of folded skin, for instance. Sophisticated scales that approximate fat by measuring the body’s electrical activity is another way. Scientists have even used CAT scanners as well as sinking people in water to get a true picture of weight.

So, are you normal weight? Overweight? A good way to figure this out is with the Body Mass Index, or BMI. This is a way of measuring weight based on a calculation that estimates weight as it relates to height. As I said, there are more accurate ways to measure whether a person is overweight but BMI allows researchers a quick and inexpensive way to compare the weight of different populations. It also lets you compare yourself to the findings of researchers on what is considered a healthy weight.

It is pretty clear that being overweight can have serious effects on health. There are well established connections between obesity and illness with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer, colon cancer, arthritis and stroke being the most common problems.

While you have probably heard all of this before I like to talk with my patients about the real consequences for them of these conditions. If your weight leads to having diabetes or a heart attack will you be able to enjoy your son’s wedding? Will you live to see your daughter’s first child graduate from high school? There’s real pain in carrying around too much weight – arthritis of the knees, difficulty breathing, swelling of the ankles, diabetic foot problems – these are the facts of life for many with a high Body Mass Index.

The BMI is a rough estimate of body fat. When I say “rough estimate” I mean both – an estimate and a rough one at best. The limitation is that it doesn’t measure body fat directly. For most people today the results are pretty obvious, however. You know if you are fit or not. If your BMI is 27 and you have a “spare tire” it is likely that you would be considered overweight. On the other hand, if your BMI is 27 and you are very fit it is likely that the extra weight is muscle.

Most of my patients are surprised with their BMI (it is often high – many times just over the limit of overweight into the obese category). The other thing that surprises them is what a normal weight is for them. For instance, a woman who is 5 foot five inches tall and 165 lbs. has a BMI of 27.6. To get to a BMI midway in the normal range means she needs to work on her weight with a target of about 135 lbs.

Slow, gradual, careful weight loss is the key to getting to your goal. And this is what Dr. Gourmet is all about – eating satisfying food and eating healthy at the same time. Using the recipes on this site or plans like eatTHISdiet can help you reach your goals, feel better, live longer and live better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last updated: 02/04/08