Obesity is a complex, multi-factorial disease with interplay
of appetite regulation, energy metabolism & psychological factors. Hence,
losing weight is not simple & requires a multi-prong approach.
Yet today many people persist in seeking simple cures to
this complex health problem. They are easily lured by fad diets or pills that
promise an instant path to thinness. Most end- up disappointed as within 12
months they put back on the weight that they had lost and some even more.
You do not need to lose weight if your weight is within the
healthy range on the weight-for-height chart & are otherwise healthy.
If you are not overweight but health problems related to
overweight run in your family, it is important that you keep your weight steady.
If you have family members with weight-related health problems outlined
earlier, you are more likely to develop them yourself.
Below is a chart to see if you are at a normal weight,
overweight , or obese. Overweight is defined as a BMI of equal to or greater
than 23; obesity is defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 27.5. This is the
guideline issued by the Malaysian Academy for the Study of obesity. The
cut-offs are lower than the WHO classification, which classified overweight and
obesity at cut-offs of 25 and 30. This is because evidence from many Asian
countries show that Asians develop diseases at lower BMIs. We also tend to have
a higher body fat percent at similar BMI, compared with the Caucasian/European
population.
CATEGORY
|
BMI
|
RESULTS
|
Normal weight
|
18.5-22.9
|
Good for you!
Try not to gain weight.
|
Overweight
|
23-27.4
|
Do not gain any weight, especially if your waist measurement is high.
You need to lose weight if you have risk factors for heart disease (smoke,
high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes) or family members having
heart disease or diabetes.
|
Obese
|
27.5 or greater
|
You need to lose weight. Lose weight slowly-about ½ pound to 2 pounds
a week. See your doctor or dietitian for help.
|
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