"Is body weight a reliable indicator of one's health?"

Weight or BMI is not a good predictor of good health or healthy weight. 

There are various anthropometric measures used in both clinical and non-clinical settings to determine good health. Body weight and BMI are the most commonly used measures. Other methods such as measuring waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and body impedance analysis are also available to understand unhealthy body weight.

It is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the human body in terms of healthy and unhealthy weight. While body weight and BMI are often used as indicators of health, they only provide limited information. They can tell you how much body mass you have but not how that mass is distributed between muscle, bone, water, or fat. To better understand your overall health, it's important to look beyond these basic metrics.

To simplify, the body can be divided into nonfat weight (lean weight) and fat weight. Lean weight is vital for good health, as it helps to prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension, as well as musculoskeletal problems like joint pain and osteoarthritis. A well-hydrated body, higher muscle mass, and good bone health are essential for preventing such conditions. Maintaining a balanced lean mass can also help prevent early degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, dementia, and muscle dystrophy.

Noninvasive measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body impedance analysis are sensitive and specific tools. They help to understand the distribution of body mass in different tissues, which aids in distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy weights.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), measuring waist circumference can help to identify potential health risks associated with being overweight or obese. The risk of health issues increases if a woman's waist size is greater than 35 inches or a man's waist size is greater than 40 inches.

It is recommended that the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of women should be 0.8 or lower, while for men, it should be 1.0 or lower. The WHR serves as an indicator of overall health and can also be used to assess the risk of developing serious health conditions.

Discover the power of advanced technology! With state-of-the-art tools available today, we can accurately estimate body weight distribution based on lean and fat weight. One such non-invasive tool is Body Impedance Analysis (BIA), which provides valuable information about the healthy and unhealthy weight percentage distribution. BIA not only provides the percentage distribution but also helps understand the segmental distribution between the upper body, torso, and lower body. 

In order to prevent complications related to unhealthy levels of body fat, it is recommended that males have a total body fat percentage of less than 25% and females have a total body fat percentage of less than 32%.

Take control of your health today.

"A weighing machine only measures the force of gravity acting on your body but doesn't tell how beautiful you are.... how meaningful your life is ... .and how much people really love you…"

Kaushal kalra MD MPH