The link between body weight and health has been generally acknowledged. Many studies have shown that being overweight and underweight can both lead to health problems.
A person’s healthy weight is determined using the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. BMI is a simple correlation between weight and height. Once calculated, it can help to assess the risk of developing various diseases over time.
While BMI is a reliable indicator of a person’s healthy weight, it does not take into account the distribution of fat on the body. Several studies have demonstrated that excess abdominal fat is also associated with a higher risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. This is why waist circumference is used in addition to BMI measurements. For more information on BMI or waist circumference measurement, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated family pharmacist.
BMI is not an infallible measurement, but it is a very useful indicator. Please note that the BMI calculator on this Website should not be used for:
- Infants
- Children
- Adolescents
- Pregnant and lactating women
- Endurance athletes
- People with high muscle mass
- Adults over the age of 65
Your weight is below the healthy range for your height. As with excess weight, insufficient weight may also pose health risks, including malnutrition, dietary deficiencies and other health issues. A low body weight can also be a sign of an eating disorder.
For more information on BMI categories, their associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist.
Your BMI is in the healthy range. Your waist circumference is another measurement you can use along with BMI. Waist measurement, which is taken with a tape measure, is used to determine if someone is carrying excess fat around the stomach. A measurement of more than 88 cm (35 inches) in women and 102 cm (40 inches) in men is considered abdominal obesity. This is the case even if a person’s BMI is normal.
If your BMI and waist circumference are in the healthy range, make sure to keep them that way by eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular exercise.
For more information on BMI categories, their associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist.
Your weight is slightly above the healthy range for your height. This puts you at a greater risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke.
For more information on BMI categories, their associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist. Reducing your BMI by reaching a healthy weight for your height could help lower your risk for certain health problems.
Your weight is above the healthy range for your height. This puts you at a greater risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke.
For more information on BMI categories, their associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist. Reducing your BMI by reaching a healthy weight for your height could help lower your risk for certain health problems, stabilize existing conditions and improve your quality of life.
Your weight is significantly above the healthy range for your height. This puts you at a greater risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke and complications associated with these medical conditions. Over time, this could compromise your quality of life.
For more information on BMI categories and associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise to help you lose weight safely, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist. Your pharmacist, together with other health professionals, such as a nutritionist and a kinesiologist, can help you build an action plan so you can reach your healthy weight for your height. Having a healthy weight will help lower your risk for certain health problems, stabilize existing conditions and improve your quality of life.
Your weight is significantly above the healthy range for your height. This puts you at a greater risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke and complications associated with these medical conditions. Over time, this could compromise your quality of life.
For more information on BMI categories and associated health risks, healthy eating and exercise to help you lose weight safely, speak with your Uniprix-affiliated pharmacist. Your pharmacist, together with other health professionals, such as a nutritionist and a kinesiologist, can help you build an action plan so you can reach your healthy weight for your height. Having a healthy weight will help lower your risk for certain health problems, stabilize existing conditions and improve your quality of life.
***Note:
BMI computed using the tool on this Website is only intended for healthy adults between the ages of 20 and 65. It should not be used for infants, children, adolescents, pregnant or lactating women, endurance athletes, people with high muscle mass and adults over 65. For these groups, healthy weight is determined using a special calculation, since BMI may give inaccurate results.
