Being overweight is a very strong risk factor for the development of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer.Assessment of body weight involves two key measures:body mass index and waist circumference.The body mass index or BMI is a calculation that was developed to determine the amount of body fat based on a person’s height and weight.Once calculated, a person may be defined as underweight if BMI <> 30).(Quickly calculate your BMI at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/).There are some limitations when calculating one’s BMI.First, athletes and others who have larger muscle mass may have an overestimated BMI because the weight of these individuals is disproportionate to their height due to the increased amount of muscle.The opposite is true of older individuals who have decreased muscle mass.These individuals may have an underestimated BMI and may have more total body fat then calculated.Because the body mass index calculation has its drawbacks, a more important tool in evaluating body weight is measuring the abdominal or waist circumference measurement (WCM).When measuring one’s waist circumference, you are essentially measuring abdominal fat, which is a stronger predictor of developing risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.It seems that the distribution of fat stores, especially abdominal fat, is more important in determining risk factors than the total amount of fat. In fact, it has been documented that individuals who suffer from diabetes or heart disease tend to have “apple-shaped” figures storing excess body fat around the abdomen.To measure your waist circumference, place a measuring tape snugly around your waistline right above your belly button. Waist measurements over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women are considered above normal.A cluster of risk factors has shown to promote the risk of developing Diabetes and Heart Disease and of all the risk factors, abdominal obesity has the strongest association with insulin resistance.In fact, the concept of a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, including abdominal obesity, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, and hyperlipidemia (high blood lipid levels), leading to the development of insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease has been understood for the past sixty years and was originally referred to as Syndrome X or the Deadly Quartet.In 1998, the official name, Metabolic Syndrome was coined by the World Health Organization.The Mayo Clinic defines Metabolic Syndrome as “a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.” In 2002, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), designed the criteria for diagnosing Metabolic Syndrome involves having three of more of the following components:
Impaired fasting glucose (100 -126 mg/dl) or 2-h post oral glucose (≥ 140 mg/dl)
Blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mmHg
Abdominal obesity (waist circumference >102 cm (men) or 88 cm (women)
HDL-cholesterol <>
Body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2
Other risk factors: family history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease; PCOS, aging, physical inactivity, ethnic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease
The good news is that most of the risk factors are modifiable and by managing your risk through lifestyle therapies, you may reduce the major risk factors for Diabetes and Heart Disease.Lifestyle interventions include weight loss, increased physical activity and healthy eating habits.
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