The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy these quality-of-life factors too.
- Fewer joint and muscle pains
- Greater ability to join in desired activities
- Better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure
- Reduced burden on your heart and circulatory system
- Better sleep patterns
- More effective metabolism of sugars and carbohydrates
- Reduced risk for heart disease and certain cancers
Your BMI is a good indicator of whether you're at a healthy or unhealthy weight. Find your BMI and what it means with our handy BMI Calculator.
- BMI stands for Body Mass Index
This is a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height. BMIs are good indicators of healthy or unhealthy weights for adult men and women, regardless of body frame size. A BMI of less than 25 indicates a healthy weight. A BMI of less than 18.5 is considered underweight. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity. - Excess weight increases the heart's work.
It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can make diabetes more likely to develop, too. Losing as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk. - To calculate your BMI:
- Type your height and weight into the calculator.
- Select a status option if you're under 20 years old, highly trained/athletic, pregnant or breastfeeding. If one of these situations applies to you, the BMI may not be the best method of assessing your risk from overweight or obesity.
Related Links
- Frequently asked questions about BMI?
- How does my BMI correlate to my risk of heart disease?
- Assess your overall risk of heart attack or heart disease
- BMI in children
