You are at the doctor’s office and the first thing the nurse does is ask you to step on the scale. You cringe. The doctor comes in and tells you according to his chart you are considered overweight, or even obese.
What is wrong with this picture?
Number one, a scale does only one thing. It weighs you. Number two, the old fashion weight and height posters most doctors’ offices use are usually outdated.They are not an indication of overall health, or at what risk you are for cardiovascular disease.
What is more important than the scale? The measurements of body composition and visceral fat and what they mean.
Body composition is defined as the percentage of fat, muscle, and bone in the body. It measures the ratio of body fat to lean tissue and bone in the body, not scale weight. The higher the number of fat percentage, the higher the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Visceral fat is the fat that lies deep in the abdomen beneath the muscle and sorrounds the organs.The higher amount of this fat puts you at risk for high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, heart disease, diabetes and other degenerative diseases.
How can you find out if you are in the safe zone? There are several ways.
One is a body composition test called a BMI (body mass index) which measures the ratio between your weight and height. BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight (in kilograms) by his or her height (in meters, squared).This is a much more accurate way to classify a person as overweight or obese.
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy for adults. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese. People with BMIs of 18.5 or less are considered underweight.
Note: a waist measurement of 35 inches or over in women and 40 inches or above in men are classified as high risk no matter what the BMI's are.
A Body Impedance Analysis (BIA) which measures body composition by passing a weak electrical current through the body. While the person is lying down, electrodes are attached to various parts of the body and a small electric signal is circulated. This is not painful but gives an accurate percent of body fat. The higher the body fat percent, the higher the health risk. *see the body fat chart below.
The most simple is the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). This is the measurement of the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hip. The smaller the number, the lower the chance of cardiovascular disease.
In waist to hip ratios, health problems are increased when the ration is .95 or higher in men, and .80 or higher in women.
So know your numbers. Don't just look down at the scale and think you are okay.
My suggestion is to get on the internet and calculate your BMI by using a BMI calculator. Contact a local doctor who has a Body Impedance Analysis device and have a body fat percent taken.
The best, easiest, and most convenient way is to invest in a cloth measuring tape. You can usually buy one at any retail store in the sewing or crafts section. Measure yourself once a week. If your waist to hip ratio increases , so does your health risk factor.
AT A GLANCE
BMI Calculator:http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus
How to correctly measure waist and hips:
Waist: Your waist measurement should be taken at the smaller section of your natural waist, usually located just above the belly button.
Hips: Your hip measurement should be taken at the your hips on the widest part of your buttocks.
Waist-to-hip ratio calculator: http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/waist_hip.asp
The best and worse in body compostion devices. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56830
Top nine body composition measuring devices:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/shop/tp/bodyfatmonitors.htm
How to correctly measure waist and hips:
Waist: Your waist measurement should be taken at the smaller section of your natural waist, usually located just above the belly button.
Hips: Your hip measurement should be taken at the your hips on the widest part of your buttocks.
Waist-to-hip ratio calculator: http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/waist_hip.asp
The best and worse in body compostion devices. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56830
Top nine body composition measuring devices:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/shop/tp/bodyfatmonitors.htm
Body fat percentage chart:
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| Female Body Fat Percentages Chart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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