Being overweight is a predictor for risk factors in developing heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Just hopping on the scale is not sufficient to determine whether your weight is acceptable from a health standpoint. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends measuring your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of body fat relative to your height and weight.
Calculate It
MedlinePlus offers this formula to calculate your BMI. Weigh yourself and multiply your weight by 703. Convert your height into inches (multiply the number of feet tall your are by 12, then add the inches to the result). Divide the result from the first calculation by your height in inches. Divide that result by your height in inches. You now have your BMI.
BMI Chart
Check the chart to see where the result of your calculation falls, and it will indicate if you should be concerned about your weight. You are an exception to the BMI chart if you are a bodybuilder because your BMI may be much higher as muscle weighs more than fat, you are 65 or older because a slightly higher BMI may protect you from osteoporosis or you are a child. This chart is only for adults.
Waist Circumference
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends that you check not only your BMI but also your waist circumference for a more accurate indication of your risk factors. Place a measuring tape snugly around your waist and record the result. Check your result with the chart, in conjunction with your BMI. If you had problems with the calculations in Section 2, there is an online BMI calculator at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm.
Ideal Weight
If you use the online calculator from Section 3, you can type in different weight values until you find the weight that places you within the acceptable guidelines for your height, using the BMI method. Remember not to change the value for your height.
Tags: your height, your weight, Blood Institute, Blood Institute recommends, Heart Lung