| It doesn't matter which way you turn, you're going | | | | circumference are at a higher risk for diabetes, |
| to run into someone discussing their BMI. BMI stands | | | | hypertension and cardiovascular disease. |
| for Body Mass Index, and it is one of the most | | | | Measuring a person's waist circumference puts many |
| widely used diagnostic tools for patients with weight | | | | of the 'dislikers' of the BMI (see above)at ease |
| problems. | | | | because it allows for a more accurate measurement |
| What is Body Mass Index Really? | | | | of a person's body fat. If a muscular person is rated |
| In the 1800s, Belgian polymath, Adolf Quetelet, | | | | as overweight on the BMI, measuring their waist |
| developed the BMI while studying social physics. | | | | circumference can determine if that person is indeed |
| Mathematically, the BMI is the person's body weight | | | | overweight. |
| divided by the square of their height. Because of its | | | | How Does Being Overweight Effect Health? |
| statistical consistence, the BMI is used throughout the | | | | This question is easy to answer. The BMI is meant to |
| world to identify if a certain person is underweight, | | | | determine if someone is overweight or obese. An |
| just right, overweight or obese (grossly overweight, | | | | overweight person is at a higher risk for heart |
| unhealthily overweight). In recent years, morbidly | | | | problems. With more fat and body mass to |
| obese and super morbidly obese have been added to | | | | oxygenate, the human heart must pick up the pace. |
| the BMI due to the increase in people weighing over | | | | The more additional weight you have on your body, |
| 300 pounds. | | | | the more work your heart has to do to keep it all |
| There are many people who dislike the BMI because | | | | running. In some cases, the heart just can't do all the |
| of the fact that it does not take into account the | | | | extra work and heart attacks and strokes can occur. |
| amount of body fat or the person's underlying bone | | | | Being overweight can also increase your chances of |
| structure. There are those that are overweight | | | | getting type 2 diabetes (diabetes brought on by |
| according to the BMI, but have thicker bone | | | | being overweight). Poor diet can lead to problems in |
| structure or heavier muscle structure (mesomorphs). | | | | digestion and a failure in the endocrine system. The |
| How Does a BMI Calculator Work? | | | | pancreas does a poor job of insulin regulation and |
| BMI calculators calculate a person's BMI based on a | | | | diabetes can result. Taking care to eat right and |
| simple equation of BMI = (pounds x 703)/(height | | | | exercise goes a long way to staying healthy. |
| inches squared). As stated above, this equation was | | | | It's commonsense that if being overweight leads to |
| designed by Adolf Quetelet in the 1800s, but it still | | | | health problems, losing weight will increase good |
| holds true in today's medical community. | | | | health. Eating right and exercising will bring you a |
| How Does Waist Circumference Play a Role? | | | | heart that is stronger, a body that is able to rid itself |
| The National Institutes for Health have conducted | | | | of toxins and bad cholesterol, and an overall feeling |
| studies regarding the part that waist circumference | | | | of wellbeing that food cannot match. |
| plays on a person's health. People with a high waist | | | | |