Diet and Weight Loss Current Topics in Diet and Weight Loss

Are You Overweight? Using the New NIH Weight Guidelines

The BMI describes body weight relative to height and is strongly correlated with how much body mass, including fat, a person has. To calculate the BMI, either weight in pounds and height in inches OR weight in kilograms and height in meters, can be used. The BMI is the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared [wt (kg)/ht (m)2] or the weight in pounds divided by the height in inches squared times 703 [wt (lbs.)/ht (in)2] ] x [703] (see Table 2). For example, for someone who is 5'7" tall, their BMI would be 25 at 159 pounds, or their BMI would be 30 at 191 pounds (see Table 3). The range that is considered healthy is between 19 to 25. A person with a BMI of 25 or greater is considered overweight; with a BMI of 30 or greater the person is considered obese; and with a BMI of 40 or greater, the person is considered extremely obese. Solid evidence demonstrates that the risk for various diseases rises significantly when the BMI is over 25 and that risk of death increases as the BMI reaches and surpasses 30. The BMI number applies to both men and women. Some people who are very athletic and have a heavier muscle mass may have a higher BMI without the same health risks. The BMI is also used to determine whether weight loss drug prescriptions or surgery should be considered. FDA approved weight loss drugs are only recommended for those with a BMI > 30, or a BMI > 27 when an obesity-related disease already exists. Surgery for weight loss is an option when conventional methods have failed for those with clinically severe obesity measured by a BMI > 40, or a BMI > 35 with an obesity-related disease.

Waist Circumference

The waistline, or waist circumference, is a familiar body dimension that reflects abdominal obesity. The easiest way to measure yourself at home is by measuring your waistline at the level of the navel or at the narrowest waist midpoint using a tape measure. A health professional may be more specific in this measurement, using the midpoint between the lower border of the rib cage and the crest of the hip. A woman with a waist circumference over 35 inches (88 cm), or a man with a waist circumference over 40 inches (102 cm), is carrying too much fat around the abdominal organs. Fat around the middle changes the way the body uses fat, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Fat in a large abdomen is more likely to break down and enter the blood where it can clog the arteries.

NIH Weight Loss and Maintenance Recommendations

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