Are You at Risk of Obesity Related Diseases?

You could be at risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.  To determine if you are at risk calculate your body mass index and measure the size of your waist.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a more accurate measurement of body fat and health risks than your bathroom scale or standard height-and-weight tables. BMI relates your body weight to health risk associated with being overweight.

To calculate your BMI using the following method:

Step l: Multiply your height by your height (in inches).

Step 2: Divide your weight (in pounds) by the above result.

Step 3: Multiply that answer by 703.

The resulting number is your BMI.

Or you can View and Print Body Mass Index Chart

BMI Results	Classification
below 18.5	underweight
between 18.5 and 24.9	healthy weight
between 25 and 29.9	overweight
30 or above	obese

Waist Measurement

Extra weight that settles about your waist puts you at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. If you have a pear shape - large buttocks, hips and thighs - you probably have lower health risks than someone with an apple shape - a large abdomen. Your waist measurement will reveal if you're an apple or a pear.

To measure your waist, find the highest point on each hipbone and measure around your body just above those points.

For women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches is associated with
higher health risks.

For men, a waist measurement of more than 40 inches is associated with higher
health risks.

Assessing Your Health Risk

Using your BMI measurement and your waist measurement as guides, you can assess your risk of obesity-related diseases.

	Your Body Mass Index (BMI)	Obesity-Related Risk of Disease
		Your Waist Measurement
		women: 35" or less men: 40" or less	women:more than 35" men: more than 40"
Overweight	25 to 29.9	increased risk	high risk
Obese	30 to 34.9 35 to 39.9	high risk very high risk	very high risk very high risk
Extremely Obese	40 or over	extremely high risk	extremely  high risk