Why Knowing Your Body Mass Index (BMI) Is Important

Why Knowing Your Body Mass Index (BMI) Is Important

In the last couple of years, sugar consumption in the USA has been a serious cause of worry. Between 2012 and January 2022, more than 11 million metric tonnes of sugar have been consumed by US citizens. Of course, sugar has a direct effect on diabetic patients and obese people.

Knowing Your BMI Can Save Your Life

If you consume significant amounts of sugar at regular intervals and have noticed a change in your body size, it means you need to calculate your body mass index (BMI). What is body mass index? How can you calculate your body mass index? Why is it important to know your body mass index?

Body mass index can be defined as a tool that enables you to know whether your body weight complements your size. It isn’t necessarily a measuring tool but helps you have a clear idea of the number of fats stored in your body.

When you feel like you need to calculate your BMI, you don’t necessarily have to visit a physician or get a health expert to help you do so. There’s a simple formula used to calculate BMI. Having an idea of your BMI is one of the most important steps to healthy living.

The BMI Formula

Do you need to calculate your body mass index? All you have to do is try out this simple formula: Multiply 703 by your weight (lbs) and divide by the square of your height (inches). That’s all.

For example, if your height is 70in and you weigh 50lbs, you can calculate your BMI thus:703 x 50 / 70² = 7.17.

Adults whose BMI range between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered healthy while those with 30 or more are said to be obese. Of course, the amount of sugar consumption in the USA is one of the reasons why some Americans have a body mass index above 30. You can also calculate your BMI directly on a website.

Why a Healthy BMI Is Important

According to a 2018 study published by CDC, more than forty-two percent of American adults fall into the obesity spectrum. Of course, this is not something to be proud of. Per multiple studies conducted in the past, people with high BMI are more likely to suffer from several diseases including diabetes and heart problems. Adults with high BMI are also at the risk of having cancers such as colon and breast cancer.

However, you can always work towards reducing your BMI levels by making efforts to lose weight and consume less sugar. Losing excess weight lowers the risk of developing serious diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, and stroke.

According to a study at Johns Hopkins, reducing your body weight by five to ten percent lowers your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, if you are pre-diabetic. Having a healthy BMI comes with many benefits including:

• Having healthy lungs
• Having greater amounts of energy
• Reduces the risk of getting depressed
• Healthy weight

Bottomline

The importance of having a healthy BMI cannot be overemphasized. You need to calculate your body mass index from time to time. You also need to consume less sugar because sugar consumption in the USA contributes to high BMI figures.