New Numbers On Weight Management
By Robert Bertelink, BPHE
Cardiac Rehabilitation Supervisor & Take C.H.A.R.G.E. Coordinator
Toronto Rehab’s Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention Program
Being overweight is one of the more common issues plaguing many Canadians. Recent statistics report that upwards of 37% of us are overweight and a further 24% are obese.
The consequences of being overweight are profound. Not only does it increase your risk of heart disease, but it also increases your odds of having a stroke, developing diabetes, getting cancer, having high blood pressure, developing arthritis … the list is a ‘who is who’ of chronic diseases.
For years the thinking was that ‘percentage body fat’ was the number we needed to worry about when it came to risk and health. Well, that thinking is changing. Current research is suggesting that abdominal girth is a more meaningful measurement when it comes to determining health risk.
Studies show that North American men should have a waist measurement of no more than 102 cm (40”) and women no more than 88 cm (35”) as measured around the belly button. Values higher than that carry an increased risk of all the ill health effects mentioned above.
This isn’t to say that our beloved body fat and body mass index (BMI) measurements are completely out of favor. Men with more than 25% body fat, women with more than 38% and either with a BMI outside of the 18.5 – 24.9 range still carry a greater risk. But, it’s the waist measurement that is fast becoming the gold standard.
So grab a measuring tape and check your numbers. If you’re one of the many Canadians who need to trim that belly, what should you do? For starters, eat a little less and walk a little more. Cutting out a measly 100 calories and walking one extra mile a day will result in a yearly caloric deficit of 75,000 calories. That’s enough to lose over 20 pounds!