Have you ever wondered if your weight was healthy? It’s easy enough to calculate your BMI but these readings aren’t always accurate. There are ways to tell you if you are overweight. On top of that, we prepared the quiz to help you find out if you are at a healthy weight or if you should perhaps lose a few pounds.
There are methods easier to use and understand than the BMI reading. One of them is the waist measurement. To calculate your waist circumference, all you need is a measuring tape. You need to place it on top of your hip bone, bring it around your body, and level with your belly button. Your waist circumference should not be bigger than 35 inches (if you’re a woman) or 40 inches (if you’re a woman). A number greater than that points to excessive belly fat, a dangerous type of fat that surrounds important organs and can lead to diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
Are your family members complaining about your snoring? It might be a reason to check your weight. If you snore often and can’t get quality sleep, you might be suffering from sleep apnea. It is a condition that causes your breathing to stop abruptly and then resume when you’re sleeping. Most people with sleep apnea snore due to airway obstruction, sometimes caused by fat around the neck. When your body stores fat in this area, it can cause the airway to narrow, resulting in shallow breathing or even pauses in breathing.
Do you suffer from acid reflux? This condition is often experienced by overweight individuals. Some studies indicate a connection between obesity and developing gastroesophageal reflux disease. Look out for symptoms such as belching, feeling nauseous, a bitter taste in your mouth, as well as a stomachache.
Overweight and particularly obese people have a higher risk for the most common form of arthritis, called osteoarthritis. It happens when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time. Carrying extra weight puts additional stress on the joints. As you gain more pounds, the stress increases. If you experience achy joints or chronic pain in your back, it might be time to think if your weight doesn’t contribute to the problem.
Do you experience chronic fatigue? Are simple everyday tasks, such as going up the stairs, tying your shoes, or reaching down to pick up something a challenge for you? If you struggle with shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and tiredness, you might have a weight problem. Your extra pounds put pressure on your organs, including the lungs.
Let’s talk about the BMI measurements for a second. The BMI method is created to give you an estimate of how much body fat you have as a ratio of your weight to height. You calculate your BMI by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in meters squared.
BMI can be difficult for a regular person to understand their degree of overweight. It also doesn’t take into account the muscle mass you might be carrying. That means the readings might not be correct.
If we want to battle obesity on both a personal and global level, we need to understand the reasons behind it. It’s not quite as simple as someone simply not having enough self-discipline to stop eating.
Obesity on the global scale is rising, replacing undernutrition. The reason for this is people consuming more high-calorie, high-fat foods. Highly processed foods are often cheaper and more accessible than fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, they are also full of sugar, salt, fats, as well as artificial ingredients. This combined with a lack of physical activity gives us the epidemic of obesity. In general, people are much less active than they used to be and often lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Certain scientific research concludes that pollution and an increased amount of chemicals in our environment can affect our metabolism and microbiome. The microbiome means all the bacteria and other organisms that live in and on the human body. Changes in our microbiome might lead to changes in many facets of our health, including how much we weigh. One study found a link between air pollution and child obesity. What’s more, scientists understand now that medications can influence our metabolism. However, we still need more research to try and battle the problem of overweight and obesity.
There is an ongoing effort to combat and prevent obesity in the world, with some progress already. The Medicare-funded Diabetes Prevention Program, for example, is a six-month intensive lifestyle program for older adults at high risk of diabetes in the United States.
The program focuses on assisting people in eating healthier, becoming more active, and maintaining a healthy weight — all of which are beneficial in preventing many chronic illnesses.
According to research, this form of intervention can help decrease the number of new cases of diabetes by up to 58%.
Are you ready to find out if you are overweight? Take the quiz and discover your score! Remember, this quiz is only for fun and can’t replace medical professionals’ advice.