Body Mass Index or BMI

Obesity has become a serious health problem in the United States. Currently, one in three U.S. adults is obese, bringing forth a possible health toll, including high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Another third of Americans are overweight. Affordable Care Act has come into being as a blessing to prevent and address this fatal threat from USA. As part of regulatory requirements, almost every quality health plan covers the following obesity related diseases:

1. Morbid Obesity

2. Bariatric Surgery

3. CVD Counseling for obesity

4. Child Obesity

5. Adult Obesity

Generally, doctors and nutritionists classify people as either underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. These different classifications are determined by body mass index popularly known as BMI. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, people may experience:

·         Fewer joint and muscle pains

·         More energy and greater ability to join in desired activities

·         Better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure

·         Reduced burden on heart and circulatory system

·         Better sleep patterns

·    Reductions in blood triglycerides, blood glucose, and risk of developing type 2 diabetes

·         Reduced risk for heart disease and certain cancers

BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. For instance, a person's height is 5’3" and weight is 125 lbs . Let us calculate his BMI by performing the following steps:

Step 1: Multiply the weight in pounds by 0.45 (the metric conversion factor)

125 X 0.45 = 56.25 kg

Step 2:  Multiply the height in inches by 0.025 (the metric conversion factor)

63 X 0.025 = 1.575 m

Step 3:  Square the answer from step 2

1.575 X 1.575 = 2.480625

Step 4:  Divide the answer from step 1 by the answer from step 3

56.25 / 2.480625 = 22.7

Step 5: The BMI for a person who is 5’3" and weighs 125 lbs is 22.7 or practically,

23.

A healthy BMI ranges between 19 and 25. A BMI of 30.0 or greater is classified as obese, a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 is classified as overweight and a BMI less than 18.5 is classified as underweight.

The higher a person's  BMI is, the higher will be  his risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.