What is my ideal weight?
Choose a lifestyle that combines sensible eating with regular physical activity. To be at their best, adults need to avoid gaining weight, and many need to lose weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and breathing problems. A healthy weight is key to a long, healthy life.
Evaluate your body weight
For adults and children, different methods are used to find out if weight is about right for height. If you have concerns about your child's body size, talk with your health care provider.
If you are an adult, follow the directions in box 1 to evaluate your weight in relation to your height, or Body Mass Index (BMI). Not all adults who have a BMI in the range labeled "healthy" are at their most healthy weight. For example, some may have lots of fat and little muscle. A BMI above the healthy range is less healthy for most people; but it may be fine if you have lots of muscle and little fat. The further your BMI is above the healthy range, the higher your weight-related risk (see figure 1). If your BMI is above the healthy range, you may benefit from weight loss, especially if you have other health risk factors.
BMIs slightly below the healthy range may still be healthy unless they result from illness. If your BMI is below the healthy range, you may have increased risk of menstrual irregularity, infertility, and osteoporosis. If you lose weight suddenly or for unknown reasons, see a health care provider. Unexplained weight loss may be an early clue to a health problem.
Keep track of your weight and your waist measurement, and take action if either of them increases. If your BMI is greater than 25, or even if it is in the "healthy" range, at least try to avoid further weight gain. If your waist measurement increases, you are probably gaining fat. If so, take steps to eat fewer calories and become more active.
How to evaluate your weight (Adults)
1.Weigh yourself and have your height measured.
Find your BMI category in figure 1. The higher your BMI category, the greater the risk for health problems.
2.Measure around your waist, just above your hip bones, while standing. Health risks increase as waist measurement increases, particularly if waist is greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men. Excess abdominal fat may place you at greater risk of health problems, even if your BMI is about right.
The higher your BMI and waist measurement, and the more risk factors you have, the more you are likely to benefit from weight loss.
NOTE: Weight loss is usually not advisable for pregnant women.
BMI measures weight in relation to height. The BMI ranges shown above are for adults. They are not exact ranges of healthy and unhealthy weights. However, they show that health risk increases at higher levels of overweight and obesity. Even within the healthy BMI range, weight gains can carry health risks for adults.
Directions: Find your weight on the bottom of the graph. Go straight up from that point until you come to the line that matches your height. Then look to find your weight group
| Healthy Weight | BMI from 18.5 up to 25 refers to a healthy weight. |
| Overweight | BMI from 25 up to 30 refers to overweight. |
| Obese | BMI 30 or higher refers to obesity. |
Source: Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000, page 3.
Click here to find out how many risk factors for diabetes you may have.
