Anne Collins, our Resident Slimming Expert, is one of Ireland's most experienced weight-loss consultants. Over the past 19 years, she has helped thousands of men, women & teenagers, including many suffering from severe obesity.
BODY MASS INDEX...
Contrary to popular belief, there is no definitive way of assessing weight. However, in the West, many doctors use a height/weight system known as the "Body Mass Index" (BMI) as a rough guide to assessing weight among the general population.
Rather than bore you with the mathematical formula, I've included a simplified chart (see below) of the BMI for men and women between the height of 4 feet 10 inches (1.47m) and 6 feet (1.83m).
How to use the chart
Find your height (in the left-hand column) then check to see when you become overweight (in the right-hand column).
Example
If you are 5 ft 4 inches tall, you start to become overweight when you get to about 146lbs/10 stone 6lbs.
Important - Please note
1. Being overweight is not unhealthy. It's only when we become seriously overweight or "obese" (i.e. more than 28lbs/2 stone overweight) that our health may suffer.
2. However, once we are obese we run an increased risk of developing a number of conditions. Here are some examples:
High blood pressure and stroke are twice as common in obese people.
Evidence is strong that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer (after menopause), womb cancer and kidney cancer.
Obesity may also increase the risk of colon cancer.
Gall bladder disease is three times as likely to occur in middle-aged obese women.
Diabetes is four times more common in middle-aged obese people than in middle-aged people of normal weight.
Coronary heart disease is twice as common in obese men under the age of 45.
Osteo-arthritis is more painful and less easily treatable if the person is obese.
Severe obesity may cause shortage of breath, varicose veins, backache and even psychological problems.
