Setting Goals on Weight
	New Weight Guidelines (BMI) The federal government's suggested new weight guidelines recently caused a stir across the country--in part because the guidelines would classify nearly 55% of Americans as overweight and at increased risk of such health problems as diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Released by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the guidelines were developed by a 24-member expert panel chaired by Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, a leading obesity researcher and director of the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. "The health risks are there and we felt that we owed it to physicians and their patients to alert them to this fact," Dr. Pi-Sunyer said, explaining the reasoning behind the new guidelines. "Being overweight, particularly in the upper body, is a risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and more, and we hope that the stricter guidelines will help health care professionals become more aggressive about testing for these concomitant risks--and about suggesting either no further weight gain or small weight losses in order to decrease risks." The guidelines define overweight as a body mass index (BMI)--a formula used to estimate body fat (see BMI chart) --of 25 to 29.9, while a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese. BMI describes body weight relative to height. According to Dr. Pi-Sunyer, the BMI is better than the traditional height-weight tables since the BMI is well correlated with total body fat content and applies to both men and women. How to figure Body Mass Index: BMI=(703 x weight in pounds) / (height in inches)2 BODY MASS INDEX CHART BMI 19 20 21 22 23 24 25* 26* 27** 28** 29** 30*** 31*** Height (inches) Body Weight (pounds) 60 97 102 107 112 118 123 128 133 138 143 148 153 158 61 100 106 111 116 122 127 132 137 143 148 153 158 164 62 104 109 115 120 126 131 136 142 147 153 158 164 169 63 107 113 118 124 130 135 141 146 152 158 163 169 175 64 110 116 122 128 134 140 145 151 157 163 169 174 180 65 114 120 126 132 138 144 150 156 162 168 174 180 185 66 118 124 130 136 142 148 155 161 167 173 179 186 192 67 121 127 134 140 146 153 159 166 172 178 185 191 198 68 125 131 138 144 151 158 164 171 177 184 190 197 203 69 128 135 142 149 155 162 169 176 182 189 196 203 209 70 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 71 136 143 150 157 165 172 179 186 163 200 208 215 222 72 140 147 154 162 169 177 184 191 199 206 213 221 228 73 144 151 159 166 174 182 189 197 204 212 219 227 235 74 148 155 163 171 179 186 1945 202 210 218 225 233 241 75 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 248 * Previously healthy, now overweight 29 million adults. ** Overweight: 29 million adults. *** Obese: A body mass index of 30 and up, 39 million adults. "These new definitions are consistent with the ones used in many other countries and are already used by many organizations, including the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the American Heart Association," Dr. Pi-Sunyer said. These evidence-based guidelines have been reviewed by 114 health experts at major medical and professional societies. They are clinical practice guidelines for physicians which present a new approach for weight assessment and establish principles of safe and effective weight loss. "The new guidelines point out that there are no new or magic cures for weight loss. It stresses that the most successful strategies for weight loss include caloric reduction, increased physical activity and behavior therapy designed to improve eating and physical activity habits," Dr. Pi-Sunyer explained. The guidelines also advise physicians to have their patients try lifestyle therapy for at least six months before turning to physician-prescribed drug therapy. "Being overweight or obese are serious problems in the United States today," said Dr. Pi-Sunyer. "Hopefully, these guidelines will encourage physicians and patients to take action to prevent and treat these conditions." Click here for treatment programs in the NYC area. Source: National Institutes of Health