Newswise — Thirty five percent of Americans have a normal body weight. And until recently, doctors thought that normal was good enough. But a recent Harvard study discussed in the October issue of the Harvard Men's Health Watch suggests that, as with blood pressure and cholesterol, lower is better, even within the "normal" range.
The results of the Harvard study are measured through the body mass index (BMI), the best overall indicator of obesity and medical risk. The October issue includes the four steps to calculate BMI and a chart for readers to easily look theirs up.
The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines say that men with BMIs below 18.5 are underweight; 18.5-24.9 is considered healthy; 25-29.9 is moderately overweight; and 30 or above indicates obesity.
The Harvard study examined the health impact of BMIs in the normal range. Beyond confirming the dreadful impact of obesity and its association with various illnesses, the Harvard study confirmed that people who are overweight but not obese (BMI 25-29.9) also faced an increased risk of several serious illnesses, and men were at an enhanced risk for stroke. The Harvard study went one step further and found that men with BMIs between 22.0 and 24.4 were significantly more likely to develop at least one of the weight-related illnesses than their leaner peers with BMIs between 18.5 and 21.9. Although BMIs below 25 are healthy, BMIs below 22 are healthier.
The October issue offers tips for cutting the fat:"¢ Set your own goals. For the short to intermediate term, pick the best weight that you can sustain for a year. "¢ Be patient but persistent. Adopt the healthy habits you need slowly and gradually, but don't give up."¢ Diet and exercise go hand in hand. You'll find it nearly impossible to maintain weight loss without exercise."¢ Every little bit helps. Even small reductions in weight can add up to big reductions in cardiovascular risk—which can be even more important.
The Harvard Men's Health Watch is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of the Harvard Medical School, for $24 per year. Subscribe at http://www.health.harvard.edu/men or by calling 1-877-649-9457 toll-free.
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