Body-mass index (BMI) is basically a measure of your weight in proportion to your height. BMI is regarded as an important indicator of overall fitness and health, although the specific nature of BMI as it relates to disease is not clear-cut and the "optimal" BMI is highly subjective.

More than one million U.S. adults (457,785 men and 588,369 women) participated in a 14-year study that examined the relationship between BMI and the risk of death from all causes. Results showed a distinct association between BMI and disease, including the following:

• A high BMI was most strongly linked with death from cardiovascular disease, especially in men.
• Overall, heavier (higher weight in proportion to height) women and men in all age groups had an increased risk of death compared to those with lower BMIs.
• Among men and women with the highest BMIs, Caucasian men and women had a significantly higher risk of death compared with African-American men and women, although both groups had an elevated risk compared with those with a lower BMI.

Keep in mind that the "ideal" weight should always be considered in terms of one's height and overall body size, shape and frame. And of course, exercise and diet are also important factors which BMI doesn't consider. Lean muscle mass weighs more than fat, so good health is more than just weight in proprortion to height. Your chiropractor can determine your BMI, assess your overall health status, and recommend appropriate fitness strategies to keep you on the road to lifelong wellness.

Reference:

Calle EE, Thun MJ, Petrelli JM, et al. Body-mass index and mortality in a prospective cohort of U.S. adults. The New England Journal of Medicine, October 7, 1999: Vol. 341, No. 15, pp1097-1105.

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