To determine your risk, find your height in feet and inches in the first column of the following table. The ranges of weight that correspond to minimal risk, moderate risk overweight and high risk obese are shown in the three columns for each height.

Obesity is a major, independent risk factor for heart disease. If you're overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by losing weight and keeping it off.

Adapted from Obesity Education Initiative: Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Obesity Research , 6 Suppl SS.

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff. Healthy Eating. Add Color. Fighting Food Insecurity. Let's Cook Together. Cooking Skills. Eat Smart. Heart-Check Foods. Losing Weight. Together Tuesdays.

What is it about abdominal fat that makes it strong marker of disease risk? The fat surrounding the liver and other abdominal organs, so-called visceral fat, is very metabolically active. It releases fatty acids, inflammatory agents, and hormones that ultimately lead to higher LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, and blood pressure.

Scientists have long debated which measure of abdominal fat is the best predictor of health risk: Waist size alone or waist-to-hip ratio. The research to date has been mixed. But adding up the evidence from multiple studies suggests that both methods do an equally good job of predicting health risks.

In practice, it is easier to measure and interpret waist circumference than it is to measure both waist and hip. That makes waist circumference the better choice for many settings.

Vague J. La differentiation sexuelle. Press Med. Ohlson LO, Larsson B, Svardsudd K, et al. The influence of body fat distribution on the incidence of diabetes mellitus.

Larsson B, Svardsudd K, Welin L, Wilhelmsen L, Bjorntorp P, Tibblin G. Abdominal adipose tissue distribution, obesity, and risk of cardiovascular disease and death: 13 year follow up of participants in the study of men born in Br Med J Clin Res Ed. Zhang C, Rexrode KM, van Dam RM, Li TY, Hu FB. This means there are some exceptions to the BMI guidelines:.

BMI calculations used for adults are not a suitable measure of weight for children or adolescents. The current BMI charts for children have been developed by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. They are useful for the assessment of overweight and obesity in children aged over two years.

To calculate a child's BMI, you can use the body mass index calculator for children and teenagers. However, BMI charts should be used only as a guide to indicate when to make small lifestyle changes, and when to seek further guidance from a doctor or a dietitian.

The link between being overweight or obese and the chance you will become ill is not definite. Research is ongoing. Statistically, there is a greater chance of developing various diseases if you are overweight.

When identifying health risk in adults, it is recommended that you combine your BMI classification with your waist circumference as a measurement of disease risk.

Men, in particular, often deposit weight in the waist region and therefore have an increased risk of obesity-related disease.

Studies have shown that the distribution of body fat is linked to an increased prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Generally, the associations between health risks and body fat distribution are:. Being physically active, avoiding smoking, and eating unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat have been shown to decrease the risk of developing abdominal obesity.

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This includes eating a well-balanced diet and doing regular physical activity. These benefits can be a lower your risk of getting heart disease or type 2 diabetes. ARE YOU AT RISK? Use the Risk Checker to find out. Probably the most successful way for weight loss is to make a change to your lifestyle.

Try to eat food that is healthier and do more physical activity like exercise. It will still result in important health improvements. Some people may need a more intensive approach. This can mean having a very low energy diet or taking weight loss medicine. Some people may need bariatric surgery.

This is especially likely in those who are obese or have other risk factors. Waist circumference and BMI are important indicators of risk. However, many other factors also contribute to disease. Remember, increased physical activity and improved diet will help reduce your risk of disease.

You may also have health benefits that are not directly related to weight loss. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Read more on Heart Foundation website.

Together, body mass index BMI and waist size can help work out whether your weight is within the healthy range and whether you are at risk of some chronic conditions. Find out what each means and how to use them. Read more on Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Find out how much weight you should expect to gain at each stage of pregnancy, based on your BMI, and tips on what to eat and how to exercise while pregnant. Read more on Queensland Health website. Obesity is a major issue in our society, but exercise must be carefully managed.

Find out how here. Read more on Exercise and Sports Science Australia ESSA website. Read more on Better Health Channel website. Duromine is a weight loss medicine containing phentermine.

It is used in conjunction with diet and exercise in people who are obese. Read more on myVMC — Virtual Medical Centre website. As your baby grows, you will gain weight. How much you gain depends on your weight before pregnancy. Lean more about healthy weight gain in pregnancy.

Overweight and obesity is a public health issue and major risk factor for ill-health, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Fat is stored throughout the body and that it produces chemicals and hormones which can be toxic to the body.

View our facts on toxic fate to find out more. Read more on LiveLighter website. Being a healthy weight is important to prevent liver disease and, if you already have disease, to prevent it getting worse. If you have fatty liver disease, one of the best things you can do is lose weight.

Read more on Liver Foundation website. Read more on Ausmed Education website. Read more on Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute website. Read more on RACGP - The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners website.

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The waist-to-hip ratio was the weakest formula of the bunch. The study, led by Michelle Swainson , a professor of exercise physiology, found the cutoff for predicting whole body obesity was 0. That number could be even lower. In separate research, Margaret Ashwell, a senior visiting fellow at City University London, has discovered through several studies— including a meta-analysis of 44 studies in adults and 13 in children—that the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease begins to rise with a WHtR above.

Her research also found that the WHtR measurement is more precise at measuring life expectancy. It also beats the BMI and waist circumference matrix some doctors rely on. With a piece of string, a person can measure their height, then fold the string in half and check to see whether it fits around their waist.

A person who is six feet tall 72 inches; centimeters should keep his or her waist below a trim 36 inches or 91 centimeters. She calls the body shape below the. At a ratio of. Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

The A. Club Deadspin Gizmodo Jalopnik Kotaku Quartz The Root The Takeout The Onion The Inventory. Support Quartz Journalism Support Us. The calculator can give you an idea of any health risks related to your BMI or waist circumference.

It also offers information based on your personal results. Your BMI is a guide to tell you if you are the correct weight for your height. Your BMI can give an indication of your chance of developing weight-related disease such as diabetes.

NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT? BMI is not always accurate for assessing healthy weight in some people. People carry fat in different parts of their bodies. Some people carry extra body fat around their middle.

This is more of a health risk than carrying weight on your hips and thighs. This is the dangerous internal fat that coats your organs.

Measuring visceral fat can give a more accurate predictor of some health conditions. These include:. These waist circumference measurements only apply to adults. Overweight and obesity are health conditions of excess weight.

Being overweight, especially being obese, can increase your risk of developing serious health problems, including:. Many of these diseases can be prevented by having a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a well-balanced diet and doing regular physical activity.

These benefits can be a lower your risk of getting heart disease or type 2 diabetes. ARE YOU AT RISK? Use the Risk Checker to find out. Probably the most successful way for weight loss is to make a change to your lifestyle. Try to eat food that is healthier and do more physical activity like exercise.

It will still result in important health improvements. Some people may need a more intensive approach. This can mean having a very low energy diet or taking weight loss medicine.

Some people may need bariatric surgery. This is especially likely in those who are obese or have other risk factors. Waist circumference and BMI are important indicators of risk. However, many other factors also contribute to disease.

Remember, increased physical activity and improved diet will help reduce your risk of disease. You may also have health benefits that are not directly related to weight loss.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Read more on Heart Foundation website. Together, body mass index BMI and waist size can help work out whether your weight is within the healthy range and whether you are at risk of some chronic conditions.

Find out what each means and how to use them. Read more on Department of Health and Aged Care website. Find out how much weight you should expect to gain at each stage of pregnancy, based on your BMI, and tips on what to eat and how to exercise while pregnant.

Read more on Queensland Health website. Obesity is a major issue in our society, but exercise must be carefully managed. Find out how here.

Read more on Exercise and Sports Science Australia ESSA website. Read more on Better Health Channel website. Duromine is a weight loss medicine containing phentermine. It is used in conjunction with diet and exercise in people who are obese. Read more on myVMC — Virtual Medical Centre website.

As your baby grows, you will gain weight. How much you gain depends on your weight before pregnancy.

Lean more about healthy weight gain in pregnancy.