Your weight says a lot about you. The general opinion is that an athletic person is a picture of a healthy person, and conversely, an overweight person must have some degree of health problem. How true is this opinion? Is it a myth? Can obese people really be fit and healthy? Or do you really have to be at an ideal body weight to qualify as a healthy person?
Weight has become an indication of a person's health. But recent research shows that just because a person is overweight doesn't mean he or she is unhealthy. This idea gained popularity because of some scientific evidence showing that slightly overweight but physically healthy men and women have a lower risk of heart disease than people of normal weight but sedentary.
The research results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, are certainly not surprising. One of the most obvious examples to prove this claim can be seen in the sports industry. Elite athletes can appear from minor Olympic gymnasts to major NFL linemen. Athletes at both extremes - and everything in between - are fit and trained to perform at a high level.
BMI (Body Mass Index)
To assess how closely the relationship between body weight and what is normal, or desirable, for a person's height, the calculation of the standard Body Mass Index is considered the most generally proportional way. The body mass index (BMI) is a value obtained from a person's weight and height. BMI is defined as body mass divided by the square of height, and universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms and height in meters.
WHO considers a BMI less than 18.5 to be underweight, and may indicate malnutrition, eating disorders, or other health problems, while a BMI equal to or greater than 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is considered obese. This BMI value range is valid, but only as a statistical category.
Is BMI a Measure of Good Health?
While BMI is a great start for getting a clearer picture of what being healthy means, some experts still think that it can be deceptive.
According to a 1998 National Institutes of Health report, clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults, an overweight person can be considered healthy if his or her waist size is less than 35 inches for women, or 40 inches for men. And if they do not have two or more of these conditions:
- High blood sugar
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
The guidelines indicate that overweight people should not gain weight, and preferably, should lose a few pounds. Other risk factors, such as smoking, also affect whether someone is considered healthy. Thus, the key to being healthy leans more into your fitness level, blood health, and lifestyle, especially your diet. It's best not to get too hung up on your physical appearance, or BMI, as long as it doesn't stray too far. What's important is the consistent maintenance of your health which boils down to physical activity and what you eat. The point is still the same. What you look like on the outside is not really important; it's what's inside that really matters — including your food. If your weight is too high above your BMI, try to lose weight in a healthy way