Normal Weight
Maintaining normal weight was one of the six factors that Dr. Vaillant described in his book "Aging Well" as being part of inclusion in the "happy/healthy" group of those he studied. So, what is that?
This refers to the weight that is generally considered healthy for a given height. Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than normal. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems, an obvious and immediate one that directly impacts relationships being snoring.
Definitions for Adults
For adults, the normal, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI).
BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat.
There has been some confusion surrounding the BMI because people who are in excellent condition and have a low percentage of body fat compared to muscle may have a BMI score that describes them as overweight when in fact they are not.
If you fall in that category, congratulations and keep up the good work. For the rest of us, the BMI is a very good tool for determining what we should weigh without resorting to expensive and sometimes unpleasant measures of body fat.
BMI Ranges
An adult who has a BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is considered normal.
An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
For example, for a man who is 5' 9" tall that means:
weighing 124 lbs or less, BMI below 18.5, is Underweight
weighing 125 lbs to 168 lbs, BMI 18.5 to 24.9 is Normal
weighing 169 lbs to 202 lbs, BMI 25.0 to 29.9 is Overweight
weighing 203 lbs or more, BMI 30 or higher, is Obese.
But that doesn't say a whole lot does it? What normal or healthy weight is is not nearly as important as how we can maintain it or reach it as our metabolism is slowing and nature is working against us.
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