NH Episode 11
Please I will need a honest
answer, how many times have you been so conscious or panicked because of your
weight? Body weight concerns are one of the major cases Dietitians and
Nutritionists come to face with regularly, the body weight of an individual can
say a lot about their health status, and this is because a lot improper weight
(either below or above normal range) can be the bedrock of many diseases, and
the interesting part is that it is usually not considered during treatments of
many health conditions. So the big question is “How do I know my weight is
within range?”.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of an individual’s weight divided by their height. It gives an average that shows if the weight status is within or out of range. A healthy range is often between 18.5 - 24, anything below that is Underweight, and anything above that is Overweight tending towards Obesity.
BMI is
presented by a formula:
BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height2 (meters)
or
BMI = weight (lb) ÷ height2 (inches) * 703.
The result you get can be placed
into one of the categories below according to the WHO.
BMI categories according to WHO
BMI Category
< 16.0 Severely Underweight
16.0 - 18.4 Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 Normal
25.0 - 29.9 Overweight
30.0 - 34.9 Moderately Obese
35.0 - 39.9 Severely Obese
> 40.0 Morbidly Obese
The above calculation and
category is more applicable when calculating the BMI for adults from 20 years
and above.
As efficient as this method is,
it can only serve as a guide. There are varying factors that can affect the
outcome of the accuracy of this result, some of which I will be listing and
explaining below:
1. Genetics:
Genetics play a very important role in our structure and appearance, some
conditions such as weight, body fat, bone mass, body size are often as a result
of inherited genes along your family tree. So before you take up the
transformation challenge, it will be good for you to know who you took after in
your nuclear and extended family.
2. Age:
Some degree of weight gain is achieved as we age, this occurs due to increase
in bone strength and density, increase in muscle mass.
3. Physiological
activity: It is normal for a pregnant woman to gain extra weight, also
applicable to Nursing mothers, and also applicable to women who have put to bed
before. This occurs due to chemical and physical changes in the body, and some
of them are hardly reversible. Extra weight gain can also be seen in men who do
heavy duty jobs or build their muscles in the Gym.
4. Location:
Even though the above scale is acknowledged worldwide, there are a few changes
or alterations based on race and geography in different countries. This is
because of their adaptation to their location has an effect on their weight.
There are a few more factors but
the above listed are some major ones. The best part of this information is that
you can checkmate you weight status by yourself at home and if possible, help
friends and family members too. Should you have a desired weight result you
will want get you can reach out to your Dietitian or Nutritionist to help guide
you through what to do.
You can book a session with us
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