Are You at a Healthy Weight?

Tools to assess your weight
Worried about your waistline
How to measure your waist circumference
Find your Body Mass Index (BMI)
What does BMI mean for your health?
What to discuss with your doctor
Related Links

Tools to assess your weight

Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) can help you determine if your body size is putting you at risk for developing health problems. They:

• Should be used together
• Are for healthy men and women 18 to 65 years of age.
• Should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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Worried about your waistline?

It is not only the amount of fat you have but where it is located. Waist circumference is used to measure the amount of fat around your waist. There is a health risk associated with this type of fat because it is an indicator of how much fat is surrounding the organs. View a video on why you should measure waist circumference

Source: Lacobellis & Sharma 2005

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How to measure your waist circumference:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
• Breathe normally
• Find the smallest area below the rib cage and above your hip bones
• Starting at this point, wrap a tape measure around your waist
• Take the reading and compare to the chart below

Adapted from Douketis JD et al. CMAJ 2005; 172

View a video on how to measure your waist circumference

What does waist circumference mean for your health?

Source: Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults, Health Canada 2003.

Can I use my pant size to measure my waist circumference?

No, waist circumference is measured above where your pants sit.

How can I lose weight around my waist?

There is no way to target where you gain or lose weight. A balance of activity and healthy eating can change your waistline and benefit the rest of your body.

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Find your BMI:

BMI is a measure of your weight related to your height (kg/m²).
Use this chart to find out your BMI:

• Electronic chart (requires java compatible browser)
• Manual chart:

1. Find your current weight and draw a horizontal line across the chart.
2. Find your height and draw a vertical line from the top to the bottom of the chart.
3. Your current BMI is where the two lines cross.

BMI is a useful tool but it does have its limits:

• It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
• It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

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What does BMI mean for your health?

Being Overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) or Obese (BMI 30 or more) increases your risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Coronary heart disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Sleep problems
• Certain cancers (breast, colon, prostate, kidney, endometrial)

Even a weight loss of 10 percent of your current weight can lower your risk of developing these diseases. Visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation website to get started.

Being Underweight (BMI less than 18.5)* increases your risk of:

• Nutrient deficiency
• Osteoporosis
• Infertility
• Weakened immune system

*May indicate an eating disorder or other underlying illness

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What to discuss with your doctor

Talk to your doctor about what a healthy weight is for you and how you can reach and maintain it.

Your doctor should assess your:

• BMI
• Waist Circumference
• Family history
• Risk factors for diseases associated with your weight
• Readiness to change your lifestyle
• Barriers to weight loss

Your doctor can help you decide if you need to lose weight and if so how much.
Ask your doctor to monitor your BMI and Waist Circumference every one to two years.

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Related Links

Questions and Answers: Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults

Answers common questions about weight classification and weight and health.

Sources:
2006 Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children. CMAJ 2007: 176(8 suppl):Online-1-117.
Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults, Health Canada, 2003.