Torpedo Betty Blog
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The Body Mass Index–I’m Not Overweight; I’m Just Big Boned
March 12th, 2008 by admin
It’s one thing to step on the scale and to know that you are a few pounds above where you should be, but it is quite another to have your body’s mass index charted only to discover that you are not simply overweight – you are obese. The Body Mass Index (BMI) will go even further and sub-classify you as moderately, severely or morbidly obese! Who needs that? What does this index really mean and how can we use the information it is giving us?
For all of you math geeks – I mean, whizzes – the BMI is figured by taking your body weight and dividing it by the square of your height … Yep. Or, you can follow my lead and look up one of the many online BMI calculators and enter your height and weight and get the results. The BMI chart is divided into four main categories: Underweight, Normal, Overweight, and Obese. Any index number under 18 is considered underweight while a BMI score over 25 is overweight and 30 is the magic number for being considered obese. My number is 33.7. I’m officially obese! Why is it important that I know this information? What good does it do? Other then to shatter what little self-esteem I had left.
Yes, obese is an awful word, but I know that being classified in that range means that I am at greater risk to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, heart attack and even breast cancer – just to name a few. I am now armed with the knowledge that I am putting my own health in jeopardy and risk my family’s happiness. Okay, Mr. BMI. I’m ready to do something about it. My first goal? Get down to merely “overweight”. Hey, it’s a start.
For more information on health insurance, contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina today.
