BMI (Body Mass Index) is important as it is widely regarded that your chances of having a longer and healthier life are improved if you have a healthy BMI.
If your BMI is high, you may also have an increased risk of developing type2 diabetes, as well as other metabolic diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. Moreover, having an obese BMI (ie BMI of 30+) doubles your risk of dying of COVID infection.
According to the NHS, for most adults the ideal BMI is in the 18.5 and 24.9 range.
A review of over 12,000 people in the United States, published in 2014, showed that people with a BMI of 25-29.9 had a 50% increased risk of diabetes compared to people with a BMI of 18.5-24.9.
Obesity was linked with increased rates of diabetes between 2.5 and 5 times higher than people of normal weight, with the highest risk being those with a BMI of 40 or more.
When calculating your BMI you have to consider a few area’s that could affect your result:
- Muscle is much denser than fat, so very muscular people, such as heavyweight boxers, weight trainees and athletes, may be a healthy weight even though their BMI is classed as obese.
- Your ethnic group could also affect your risk of some health conditions related to your BMI. For example, adults of Asian origin may have a higher risk of health problems at BMI levels below 25.
- For these reasons and many more we tend to go by this simple adage: Your waist should be less than half your height. If it isn’t, ProLongevity can help!
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also lists a high BMI as a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, bone and joint problems including osteoarthritis and a number of cancers, including breast, colon and endometrial cancer.