More than 2 our of 3 adults in the United States are considered to be overweight or have obesity (see stat above). By comparison, only about 1.8% of the U.S. population is considered underweight.  However, just because the percentage is much lower, doesn’t mean being underweight isn’t as big a concern.  Being obese and being underweight both have serious health risks, including death.

The right weight for your body is medically calculated using BMI or Body Mass Index. It roughly calculates the percentage of fat in your body based on your height and weight. We say roughly because accurate calculations require very sophisticated equipment. BMI charts are thus generally an estimate, but a good one. They are a starting point of discussion about your weight and health.

Why not just use weight to determine health? Weight is not an accurate representation of your health.  Muscle weighs more than fat, so someone who is very healthy and muscular can weigh as much as someone who is unhealthy and “overweight.”

In general, adults want to maintain a BMI  between 19.1-25.8 for women and  20.7-26.4 for men. However, chances are, if you are reading this on this site, you are not yet an adult! And BMI rates for adults are NOT applicable to teens. BMI’s for teens change yearly based on your height.  If you want to know yours, click here: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html.

Keep in mind that the whole point of all these sub posts on nutrition is for you to be as healthy as you can be. Being healthy benefits not only your body weight, but your mood, your overall health and your ability to fight infections. Eating the right foods empowers your body to do battle against all kind of invaders! So remember that food is your fuel, it is your defense, it is your mental health, it is your best ally in being the best that you can be! If you have additional questions about food and nutrition, reach out to us!