Assessment of Obesity

Quick Check

SOUR CE : HEALTH AND NUTRITION

YOU PROBABYLY KNOW EXACTLY what you weigh right now. But do you know exactly what you should weigh – and whether your body is as healthy as possible ? Odds are you don’t. The fact is, the scale can’t tell you whether you’re overweight, underweight or just right. Medical experts now recognize that for some of us, it’s perfectly okay to weigh 75 kg, while for others it’s health disaster.

So how do you know if your weight’s healthy ? That’s where this worksheet comes in. This isn’t a test (although you will need a pencil). It’s more like a weight wake-up call, designed to help you focus attention on how your pounds reflect your healthy (or not-so-healthy) habits. In steps 1 to 4, you’ll assess your body in the four different ways weight experts suggest, which realistically measure a healthy build. (Don’t worry: the math is minimal.) Then, in step 5. you’ll plug those numbers into the Healthy Weight Calculator. What you’ll discover: whether you need to gain weight, lose weight – or give yourself a big fat pat on the back for being perfect

STEP 1 FIGURE OUT IF YOUR WEIGHT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HEIGHT

Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45
Multiply your height in inches by 0.025, then multiply that number by itself
Divide the step 1 total by the step 2 total and compare the number you get with the following chart.

Below 18.5 Underweight

18.5 to 24.9 Ideal weight for good health

25 to 29.9 Overweight

30 or over Obese

Experts consider this weight-to-height ratio - called the body bass index, or BMI – for more telling than your weight alone. If your BMI is 25 or above, they say, you are at above - normal risk for obesity-related health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The good news: Even a small weight loss, as little as 10 percent, can reduce your BMI – and your risk.

STEP 2 SEE IF YOU’RE BIG-BONED

Using a tape measure, measure the circumference of your wrist in inches
Calculate your height in inches.
Divide the result of step 2 by the result of step 1

11 or higher You have a small frame

10.1 to 10.9 You have a medium frame.

10 or lower You have a large frame

This test tells you whether your bones are large – and therefore heavy – or small and relatively light. There’s no way to reduce the size or weight of your bones, nor would you want to. (Remember, the danger is in carrying too much fat, not too much bone!) If you’re big boned, your scale weight might seem high but actually be quite healthy.

STEP 3 FIND OUT HOW MUCH FAT YOU’RE CARRYING

While standing, pinch your skin with your thumb and index finger in the places below. With a ruler, measure the distance between your fingers to the nearest half-inch.
- Waist above the hip (put your thumb below your rib cage and your finger just above hipbone, the pinch)
- Back of the UPPER ARM.
- INNER THIGH, Six inches above the knee.
Add the numbers and divide by three to arrive at an average

1.5 or above You have more fat and less muscle than is healthy

Your ratio of fat and muscle is optimal

0.5You’re as lean (high muscle low fat) as is healthy

Below 0.5 You’re underweight and need to gain fat and muscle

The point: Muscle weighs more that fat, so a lean body may weigh more (but be healthier) than one that’s the same height but mostly fat.

STEP 4 CHECK YOUR BODY SHAPE

1. This one’s a cinch: While standing, measure your waist where it’s smallest

Above 35 inches At increased risk

35 inches or less Not a risk indicator

Nutritionists used to calculate a person’s waist to hip ratio to classify him/her as an apple ( who puts on weight in the abdomen) or a pear. This still works. Anything over 0.9 in males 0.85 in females is associated with increased risk of several chronic disease. But newer guidelines focus on waist circumferences alone. If yours is more than 35 inches, you are at generally, greater risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers, and should pay attention to risk factors you can control: smoking, drinking excessively and getting enough exercise.

STEP 5 THE HEALTHY WEIGHT CALCULATOR

READY TO ADD IT ALL UP? IN THIS QUIZ, THE NUMBERS YOU’VE JUST TALLIED get mixed in with facts about how you live – so here’s where you get credit for going to the gym and eating right, Remember, this is a highly subjective test: its goal is to get you a think hard about the behaviours that cause you to lose points – and about what you can do to change them.

Start with a score of zero.
What’s your BMI (from step 1)? If your is between 18.5 and 24.9 don’t add any points. Add one point for each whole number if yours is above 24.9 (add one point for a BMI of 25, two for 26, etc); subtract a point for each whole number under 18.5 (in other words, subtract one for a score of 18, two for a 17).
If the calculation in step 2 showed that you have a small frame, add one point; for a large frame subtract one.
If your body composition score (from step 3) is 1 or lower, subtract one point; if it’s 1.5 or greater, add two points.
Is your waist circumference, which you measured in step 4, greater than 35? Or is your waist-to-hip ratio more than 0.85 if you’re a women, and more than 0.9 if your are a man? Add two points.
Do you get a heart rate boosting (in other words, moderately strenuous) cardiovascular workout at least three times a week ? if not, add three points
Even if you don’t work out quite that hard or often, if you walk for a total of a least 30 minutes, five days a week, getting your circulation going, you can subtract a point. (If you answered yes to question 6, your score remains the same here.)
Have you eaten a meal heavy on fried foods or other unhealthful indulgences (french fries, butter chicken, most fast food – well, you know what we’re taking about!) more than twice in the past two weeks? If so, add a point.
How many high-calorie, low nutrients treats do you allow yourself in a day ? Count that mid afternoon handful of chocolate candies, cake for dessert after dinner and a cola. Add a half point each item you came up with.
If your have a high blood pressure, defined as systolic blood pressure above 140mm Hg and diastolic pressure above 90 mm Hg. Or it you don’t know the number but you’ve been told your is high, add a point
If your cholesterol levels is over 200 or you’ve been told it’s "above normal", add a point (both high cholesterol and high blood pressure are affected by diet and exercise.)
Do you yo-yo diet – cut calories diligently to lose weight, then put it all back on, over and over again? If so, add two points.
Are you fidgety – you shift positions in your chair frequently, or get up and go to the water cooler or filling cabinet? If so, subtract a point, unless your current score is zero or less (A recent Mayo Clinic study showed that fidgeters burn significant calories each day.)
Are you in better shape now than you were when you were 21? If so, subtract three points, unless your currently score is zero or less

THIS IS YOUR FINAL SCORE

HOW TO EVALUATE YOUR SCORE

A NEGATIVE NUMBER

You’re underweight, but don’t congratulate yourself. Weighing too little is linked to problems ranging from menstrual irregularity in women to osteoporosis (in both sexes) and even early death. Talk to your doctor about how to gain muscle, not fat.

A POSITIVE NUMBER

The higher the number, the more crucial it is that you watch your fat and calorie consumption (and portion sizes) and make sure to be physically active. The important thing is to avoid crash diets. You should strive to lose a half-pound to a pound (about half a kilo) a week until you start reaching your goals

ZERO

Congrats! You’re aced this test. Your diet and workout habits are pretty, healthy, and your body reflects that – whatever the scale says. Keep doing whatever you’re doing, making sure to continue exercising as you get older.

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