What is a healthy BMI for an adult?

Between 18.5-24.9 and over 30 is considered obese but research has shown some ethnic groups should try and maintain a lower BMI to reduce health risks such as type 2 diabetes.

Asians are recommended to maintain a BMI of 23 or below & although research is still underway black people and other minority groups are also advised to maintain a BMI below 25 to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

Another indication of a weight issue is the size of your waist .Health risks can increase of your waist is more than 94cm (37 inches) if you're a man , more than 80cm (31.5 inches) if you're a woman

(source NHS website)

So what type of health problems are we talking about ?

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can lead to serious health issues

High blood pressure usually has no obvious symptoms and many people have it without knowing.

Untreated high blood pressure can lead to serious diseases, including stroke, heart disease and kidney failure

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The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure measured by a medical professional

Type 2 Diabetes .

There are 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes, the vast majority with Type 2, and by 2025 there are projected to be 5 million people in the UK with the condition. This is such a big issue we have more details on our diabetes page

Coronary Heart Disease

As your body mass index rises, so does your risk for cornonary heart disease,  a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Plaque can narrow or block the coronary arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart muscle. This can cause a heart attack or angina .Obesity also can lead to heart failure where your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs.

Stroke

Being overweight or obese can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form.
If the clot is close to your brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and cause a stroke The risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.

For more information of Heart disease visit www.bhf.org.uk

Cancer

Research has shown that many types of cancer are more common in people who are overweight or obese, including:

breast cancer, in women after the menopause

bowel cancer

womb cancer

oesophageal (food pipe) cancer

gastric cardia cancer (a type of stomach cancer)

pancreatic cancer

kidney cancer

gallbladder cancer

Don't ignore symptoms if you are worried you might have cancer. Early detection is always the best option so head to the doctor. For more information on cancer www.cancerresearchuk.org

Also Osteoarthristis, Sleep Apnea, Gallstones, Fertility problems - unfortunately there are very many health issues associated with obesity so take action now.

We know its hard but your your health is important so do it for yourself and your family . Help your children from Day 1 by feeding them a balanced diet low in sugar and fat, get them used to a wide variety of foods including fruit & veg and to drink water as soon as they are weaned so they know no different. Prevention is the key to stopping the rise in obesity & you can help your child from pre pregnancy onwards. Your health effects your baby too.

We have some basic cookery videos on our playlists on our you tube channel as well as some health videos so try and cook from scratch and avoid take outs and ready meals as much as possible.

Obesity is always in the media - these are some stories currently in the headlines:

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