![]() ![]() People who are considered overweight or obese are at a greater risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and even cancer, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. High BMI and Chronic DiseaseĪfter all, research suggests that BMI is closely tied to disease risk. In this way, your BMI affects your healthcare costs. A high BMI may compel your doctor to give you additional health screenings, prescribe certain drugs, and require additional follow-up appointments to monitor your weight. That simple number can be tied to your healthcare. ![]() ![]() And many experts have started to question BMI's accuracy.īMI is far from perfect, and as the years have passed, more and more science has emerged that reveals the flaws of this approach.īefore delving into what exactly those imperfections are, it’s important to understand not only BMI’s history but also what your BMI number suggest about your health - and why you shouldn’t necessarily jump into panic mode if your doc says your number is too high. If this formula seems complicated and somewhat arbitrary, that’s because it is. Here’s what your number means, per the CDC: Or check out the CDC’s BMI calculator if math isn’t your thing. The federal government uses the calculation to track obesity rates in the country, and according to this scale, 42.4 percent of American adults age 20 and older are obese, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Īdults can measure their BMI by taking their body weight in pounds, dividing that value by their height in inches squared, and multiplying the latter value by 703. Many people have been there: You go to the doctor’s office, get your blood pressure, height, and weight taken, and the doctor relays the unfortunate news: Your BMI is too high, and you need to lose weight.īMI, or body mass index, has long been used as a way to assess body weight in the United States. ![]()
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