The ideal weight of adult men and women is that body weight which carries the least health risk in terms of lifespan, general health and well-being. The concept of an ideal weight originated with life insurance companies who regarded overweight people as poor insurance risks since they tended to die young. They calculated the weight for any given height associated with the lowest mortality (the weight at which the fewest people died). These statistics form the basis of the ideal weight charts currently in use.
What is ideal weight?
These guidelines give a range of values for body weight which is acceptable for a given height. If your weight falls within the acceptable weight range for your height then it is unlikely that your weight is interfering with your health.
You are classified as overweight when your weight is above the upper limit of the given range for your height. Even so, your health is only likely to be at risk if your weight is more than 20% above this upper limit.
Alternatively, you can use the body mass index (BMI) to assess your weight. BMI may be calculated by dividing your weight in kilogrammes by your height in metres squared (Wkg/Hm2). By this method, the index of weight is found to be the same over a wide range of heights in adult men and women. A BMI between 20 – 25 represents weights within the acceptable range and BMI>30 as obese – when your weight is likely to be adversely affecting your health.
Does body shape have an effect on ideal weight?
Earlier life insurance tables differentiated between small, medium and large frames, but this has now been abandoned as there is no easy and accurate way to determine frame size. The temptation is to assume you have big bones and a large frame and so decide you are not overweight when a candid look at yourself in the mirror clearly shows you are. Body shape in the sense of how fat is distributed throughout the body, can affect ideal weight.
Those people who carry fat around their middle, the so-called ‘apple’ shape, are more likely to suffer from the health risks associated with overweight than those people whose fat accumulates on the lower body, the so-called ‘pear′ shape. The waisthip ratio is an easy way to differentiate between ‘apples’ and pears’. To minimize health risks it should be less than 1 for adult men and less than 0.8 for adult women.
How important is it to maintain my ideal weight?
If you are underweight or overweight you are more likely to die younger than if you are of normal weight. The more overweight you are the greater the risk, especially in young adults. However, if you lose your excess weight your life expectancy returns to normal. Also, if you are overweight you are more likely to suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and gallstones. The risk increases with increasing weight.
Overweight women have a higher risk of developing gall-bladder, breast and uterine cancers, and overweight men risk developing cancers of the prostate and kidney.
Other conditions associated with excess weight include:
- breathlessness on mild exertion
- respiratory problems
- arthritis, especially of the knees and ankles; varicose veins and flat feet.
Although not life-threatening, these conditions give rise to much long-term ill health and suffering. Overweight people are less agile and are therefore more accident-prone. Overweight women find it more difficult to conceive and are more likely to develop complications in pregnancy.
Always keeping your weight within the acceptable range is important (particularly if you have a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes).
Furthermore, all the health risks listed above are lessened if overweight people slim. Younger people will reap benefit in later years, and improved mobility will help older people with arthritic and respiratory problems.
When should I see my doctor?
You should see your doctor if you are experiencing health problems caused by weight, or if you lose weight rapidly with no obvious cause.
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