How to determine whether you are overweight

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Are you overweight?

Knowing whether you are overweight or not is not always easy.......

In this article Purple Weight Loss explores an number of simple ways to determine whether you are overweight or not.

Note: As always, for a proper and full diagnosis, it is recommended that you consult your doctor or suitably trained medical professional.

• Tell tail signs - these include clothes not fitting, overhanging belly, presence of love-handles, permanently feeling bloated......
• Body Mass Index (BMI) >25 - more about this below......

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Undoubtedly you will have heard someone make reference to BMI at some point during your life...... but what exactly is it?

BMI is one of the most widely used measurements for obesity. The BMI approximates body mass using a mathematical ratio of weight and height. The BMI makes a number of assumptions about the distribution of bone and muscle mass and models the relationship between height and weight to help determine if a person is obese, overweight, underweight or of normal weight.

BMI is therefore a useful guide to help you to determine whether or not you are overweight. Please use the BMI table below to categorise yourself.

It is important to note that it is only a guide as it is a simplified relationship between height and weight and does not make allowances for different distributions of bone and muscle mass in different people.

For instance, it is possible for a healthy, muscular athlete with very low body fat to be classified as 'obese' using the BMI formula. This is because it is overestimating the body fat (adiposity) or those people with more lean body mass. Conversely, the formula underestimates adiposity of those with less lean body mass such as the elderly.

What do the different categories mean?

• Under 18.5 - you are probably underweight and could do with gaining weight to make you more healthy
• 18.5 - 25 - you are at a healthy weight and should aim to remain within this range
• 25 - 30 - you are overweight and should try to lose some weight to fall within the healthy / normal range
• 30 and above - you are seriously overweight and should aim to lose weight to improve your health. You would be well advised to talk to your doctor before starting any healthy eating or exercise regime. If you are in the categories of clinically obese (35-40) or morbidly obese (>40), losing weight will significantly and noticeably improve your health.

Conclusion......

So what does all this mean and where do you go from here?

If you believe you are overweight having considered the tell tail signs above and, crucially, have sought professional medical advice, why don't you consider a diet and exercise regime to shed those unwanted pounds?

Purple Weight Loss can provide you will all the tools and resources you need to help you to lose weight in a healthy way such as free access to your own personal food and exercise diary so why don't you register with Purple Weight Loss today?

PurpleWeightLoss.com is a trading division of Purple Circle Limited.

The material published on the PurpleWeightLoss.com website is for information purposes only and does not constitute the giving of medical advice. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before undertaking any weight loss or exercise regime.