What the Results Mean
| Classification |
BMI |
Disease risk* relative to normal weight and waist circumference |
Men less than or equal to 40 inches
Women less than or equal to 35 inches |
Men greater than 40 inches
Women greater than 35 inches |
| Underweight |
less than 18.5 |
|
|
| Normal |
18.5-24.9 |
|
|
| Overweight |
25-29.9 |
Increased |
High |
| Obese |
30-34.9 |
High |
Very High |
| Obese |
35-39.9 |
Very High |
Very High |
| Extremely Obese |
greater than 40 |
Extremely High |
Extremely High |
*Disease risk for Type II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease
Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Obesity Education Initiative Guidelines on Overweight and Obesity Electronic Toolkit. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/e_txtbk/txgd/4142.htm Accessed: November 30, 2006
How to improve BMI and Waist Circumference
You can improve your BMI and waist circumference by losing weight.
Whether you gain or lose weight depends on caloric balance. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, above usual activity done at home or work, most days (5+) of the week to reduce the risk of chronic disease. You can gain greater health benefits from doing more activity. To help manage your body weight and prevent gradual weight gain, 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity most days (5+) of the week is necessary. In order to sustain weight loss, 60-90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity activity may be necessary. For both weight maintenance and weight loss, it is important to keep food intake (calories) to a level that is equal to or less than the amount of calories you burn through daily activity.