I am posting this article in response to a FAQ from my website. Many people are asking how they know if by being overweight they are putting their health at risk and what is being overweight? This got me looking into BMI, body Mass Index and the healthy weight chart.
When using the healthy weight chart as a means to determine if we are overweight we need to remember that this is a very broad and simplistic method.
There are several names for the healthy weight chart, some refer to it as the height weight chart but is essentially the same thing.
Let me explain. These two tools are used as a basis for the calculation of the well known BMI measurement system for measuring Body Mass Index.
In recent times many people have questioned the accuracy of such a system that is based on such generalised personal information as height and weight and is constructed using comparative data that dates back 40 years.
The problem is that some people especially those who are taller than the average person, can be given a false sense of security when using the height weight chart as a measure of healthy weight.
The healthy weight of an individual can vary and the height weight chart is intended to be used as a guideline to determine if a man or woman is in the healthy weight range.
The healthy weight range system is a collection of data from many thousands of people worldwide and is designed using an average of many different people's data.
Because the height weight chart is predicated on data from so many people it is usually fairly accurate and gives you an idea of where you fit in a wide band range of healthy weight.
The real question though is, if the height weight chart can be relied upon?
In some cases the results for certain individuals when using these methods proved to be wrong.
We found that a taller than average man who was considered to be in the healthy weight range had developed some liver function problems.
When fat is accumulated in the middle abdominal area it can increase the probability of fatty liver disease.
Men with an abdominal circumference of above 40 inches who are over 6 feet tall could be mislead as they may be considered in the overweight but not at risk category according to their BMI using the healthy weight chart.
To sum up: Due to known inaccuracies of the measurement systems for height to weight ratio, more doctors have now updated their advice to patients to be aware that carrying weight around the middle part of your body can put you at increased risk of diseases.
When using the healthy weight chart as a means to determine if we are overweight we need to remember that this is a very broad and simplistic method.
There are several names for the healthy weight chart, some refer to it as the height weight chart but is essentially the same thing.
Let me explain. These two tools are used as a basis for the calculation of the well known BMI measurement system for measuring Body Mass Index.
In recent times many people have questioned the accuracy of such a system that is based on such generalised personal information as height and weight and is constructed using comparative data that dates back 40 years.
The problem is that some people especially those who are taller than the average person, can be given a false sense of security when using the height weight chart as a measure of healthy weight.
The healthy weight of an individual can vary and the height weight chart is intended to be used as a guideline to determine if a man or woman is in the healthy weight range.
The healthy weight range system is a collection of data from many thousands of people worldwide and is designed using an average of many different people's data.
Because the height weight chart is predicated on data from so many people it is usually fairly accurate and gives you an idea of where you fit in a wide band range of healthy weight.
The real question though is, if the height weight chart can be relied upon?
In some cases the results for certain individuals when using these methods proved to be wrong.
We found that a taller than average man who was considered to be in the healthy weight range had developed some liver function problems.
When fat is accumulated in the middle abdominal area it can increase the probability of fatty liver disease.
Men with an abdominal circumference of above 40 inches who are over 6 feet tall could be mislead as they may be considered in the overweight but not at risk category according to their BMI using the healthy weight chart.
To sum up: Due to known inaccuracies of the measurement systems for height to weight ratio, more doctors have now updated their advice to patients to be aware that carrying weight around the middle part of your body can put you at increased risk of diseases.
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If you would like to learn more about healthy weight see this article height weight chart and BMI calculator
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