Jul 16, 2022 | Healthy Products
USING BMI CALCULATOR TO GAIN MORE INSIGHTS ON HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE
The number on your scale is just one of the many indicators for general health. Calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index) to gain more insights on how healthy your weight is for your height. This BMI calculator generates results for women, men, teenagers, and children.
Why We Use BMI
Body Mass Index or BMI can help you understand if you’re a healthy body weight for your height. There’s no “perfect” body weight – and there’s no perfect calculation for a healthy body weight, either – but knowing your BMI can be a useful indicator of whether you’re at risk from weight-related health problems.
It works by calculating a number based on your weight and how tall you are. From this number, you can get an idea of whether you are considered underweight, “normal” weight, overweight, or obese on the BMI scale.
While BMI measurements are imperfect, they’re still widely used for several reasons.
First, BMI is quick and affordable to measure (our tool is completely free) and you can work it out at home with just bathroom scales and a tape measure.
There’s also a strong, proven correlation between BMI and body fat and hundreds of studies that show links between BMI and general health, so it can be a useful place to start to learn more about your body and health.
Understanding BMI Results: Ages 20+
Underweight: Below 18.5
A BMI below 18.5 suggests you could be underweight. There’s a risk that you may not be eating enough, or in some cases, it could be a sign of illness.
Prolonged malnutrition can lead to osteoporosis, fertility issues, anemia, hair and tooth loss, and other problems. A low BMI doesn’t necessarily mean a medical emergency, but you might want to pay a visit to your doctor to understand if there’s an underlying cause.
Normal: 18.5 to 24.9
BMI readings between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered within a healthy range. Those on the lower end of the spectrum may want to make sure they’re getting enough nutrients, while those at the top might take a look at their processed sugar and junk food consumption.
While these numbers are not associated with significantly elevated medical risks, there are other factors to consider. A slim person carrying belly fat may have a “normal” BMI but be at a greater health risk than a fit, muscular person with an “overweight” BMI. Find out more about BMI limitations.
Overweight: 25 to 30
If your BMI is above 25, it could mean that you’re overweight and carrying excess body fat. However, because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, you could also have a high BMI if you’re very muscular.
If you’re not very active, a BMI within this range is a sign you should consider losing weight through a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. For those who are active and lead a healthy lifestyle, a high BMI result may not be a cause for concern.
Obese: Above 30
If your BMI is above 30, you’re almost certainly carrying extra weight. A BMI over 30 has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, joint inflammation, depression, sleep apnea, and an elevated risk of cancer.
These dangers are especially elevated for those with a BMI over 40, which is known as “severely obese”. Obesity can lead to serious health and quality-of-life issues. You should visit your doctor to understand the underlying cause and start taking steps to improve your health.
Understanding BMI Results: Ages 2-19
Severely Underweight: Below the 3rd Percentile
A BMI below the 3rd percentile almost certainly means that a child or teen is severely underweight. A medical professional should be consulted on how to support healthy weight gain, while considering possible underlying causes.
Studies on children and young adults in this percentile show that many suffer from protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), which is linked with higher rates of mortality and further illness.
Underweight: From the 3rd to 5th Percentile
A BMI below the 5th percentile suggests a child or teenager could be underweight . It is possible that they simply have a smaller build, so it’s important to clarify this with a doctor or pediatrician.
If a child or teen is underweight for their build, there’s a risk that they’re not eating enough nutritious foods, or in some cases, it could be a symptom of an underlying illness.
Studies show that under nutrition in kids can lead to metabolic disorders, low energy levels, behavioral issues, and learning disabilities.
Normal: From the 5th to the 85th Percentile
BMI readings between the 5th and 85th percentile are within a healthy range. If a teenager or child is on the lower or higher end of the spectrum, confirm with a medical expert to make sure they’re getting enough nutrition and exercise.
In any case, it’s recommended that a child or teen with a healthy BMI still gets support on how to keep their processed sugar and junk food consumption to a minimum for optimal development.
Continuously tracking BMI, especially during puberty, is a helpful way to make sure a child is on track with their weight.
BMI calculations do have their limitations, so it’s best to receive ongoing guidance from a doctor or pediatrician.
Overweight: From the 85th to 95th Percentile
If a child or teenager’s BMI percentile is above 90, it could mean that they are overweight and carrying excess body fat. However, because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, they could also have a high BMI if they have more muscle.
In the case where this child or teenager is not very active, a BMI above the healthy percentile range for their age and gender means they need support in losing weight through a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Additional guidance from a pediatrician or doctor is recommended for getting a child or teen’s health on track.
Being overweight in childhood often continues on into adulthood, due to genetics and behavioral patterns. This can be detrimental to an individual’s emotional health, as well as physical, with increased risks of childhood diabetes in the short term. Long-term effects include varying degrees of illness, so it’s ideal for a child or teen with this result to start getting help now.
For those who are active and lead a healthy lifestyle, a high BMI result may not be a cause for concern, but you should confirm this with a medical expert.
Severely Overweight: Above the 95 Percentile
A BMI above the 95th percentile almost certainly indicates that a child or teenager is carrying more weight than what’s considered healthy. The CDC states that unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, and inconsistent sleeping habits are just some of the factors that contribute to childhood and teenage obesity.
Childhood obesity often leads to obesity in adulthood. An adult BMI over 30 is considered obese, and has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, depression, and other serious health and quality-of-life issues.
A child or teen with this result should be assessed by a physician to discover any underlying causes, and clarify what steps to take to improve their health.
How BMI is Calculated
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. If you use imperial measurements you can calculate BMI with the equation:
(Weight in pounds ÷ height2 in inches) x 703 = BMI
BMI measurements are taken the same way for men and women. But there are differences in the way this information is interpreted.
BMI for Women
Often due to social stigma, women with higher BMIs report more psychological stress and a lower quality of life than men with high BMIs. Those pressures also cause a higher rate of eating disorders among women.
Women can experience fertility issues and amenorrhea if their BMI goes too far in either direction. Note that if you’re pregnant or nursing, BMI isn’t accurate and shouldn’t be used.
BMI is also not an accurate way to determine the distribution of body fat, in particular, identifying high-risk abdominal body fat. Additional waistline measurements are particularly important for women, who tend to have more body fat than men of the same BMI. Studies show there’s a link between larger BMI and waistline measurements and coronary heart disease in women.
Relying on BMI as the sole indicator for overall health should also be avoided after menopause. This is because the proportions of muscle, fat, and bone change as you age. See more about the limitations of BMI for post-menopausal women.
BMI for Men
Currently, the average BMI for males is 28. You might think that the healthy weight for a man of the same height as a woman would be higher. But this isn’t the case.
As BMI increases (over 25), so does ill health. A BMI of 28 makes you more than 1,500% more likely to develop diabetes than if your BMI was 23 or lower.
Fortunately, you’ll benefit from dropping even just a few pounds.
BMI for Children and Teenagers
A slightly different method is used to calculate the BMI of children and teenagers aged 2-19 years old.
BMI is still calculated using height and weight but the results are interpreted and measured by percentile. This is where the child or teen’s BMI is compared to others of the same age and sex using data from national surveys.
The CDC is just one of the organizations that monitors the results of these surveys and maintains updated charts of BMI percentiles for boys and girls.
Limitations of BMI Measurements
Body Fat Distribution
BMI fails to take fat distribution into account. This is an issue because some areas are far more harmful to health than others. Excess abdominal fat has been linked to numerous health issues, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Yet a slim person who carries belly fat might still have a “normal” BMI. You should take your waistline into account, as well as your BMI.
To work out your body fat percentage, ask your health practitioner to do skinfold testing instead.
Athletes and Bodybuilders
BMI is a measurement of body weight, but it can’t differentiate between muscle, fat, or bone mass. Because of this, a bodybuilder with very little body fat but a lot of muscle might still receive a BMI rating of “overweight” or even “obese”, which would be an inaccurate representation of their actual health.
If you consider yourself to be a fit person with a large muscle mass, your BMI won’t be a relevant indicator of your health, so reach out to a medical practitioner for guidance.
Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity factor into BMI readings, as well. The ranges and cut-off points in most general tools are considered international guidelines, although there are some significant variations.
A 20-year study found that at the same BMI, Asian people were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to white people. It found that Black, Hispanic, and other ethnic minority groups were also more at risk of diabetes.
Those of Asian origin are also more prone to belly fat than Caucasians. This means they may start to see health problems at a much lower BMI. The World Health Organisation looked into this and suggested that Asian people should class a BMI of 22-25 as overweight (observed risk) and 26-31 as obese (high risk).
Age
BMI calculations are a less accurate indication of a healthy weight for babies and toddlers aged 0 to 2, and for individuals over the age of 60 to 65.
When it comes to infants aged 0 to 2, there are many more factors that contribute to weight. Medical experts trained in this area take measurements such as height and head circumference, and compare those to growth percentiles of children the same age, gender, and height, but they’ll also base their assessment on far more nuanced information.
This is largely based on information you provide, such as general diet, energy, and overall health before determining whether your baby or toddler is at a healthy weight.
As for the limitations in older adults, muscle mass decreases as you get older, while body fat often increases. This means that some older people may fall into a healthy BMI category, while still having a high level of body fat.
If you’re over the age of 60-65, BMI may be an even more unreliable indicator of body fat.
Pregnant/Breastfeeding Women
Given your baby’s weight, and the natural increase in your body fat to accommodate and nurture your baby, BMI is not an accurate tool for you while pregnant or nursing. Instead, the CDC recommends monitoring your weight gain throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
If you know what your BMI was pre-pregnancy, you can compare your current weight with CDC’s recommended weight gain for that BMI. There are separate charts for pregnancy with one baby and pregnancy with twins.
Post-Menopausal Women
BMI can be particularly misleading for postmenopausal women where studies show bone density decreases and body fat increases.
This is means that the Underweight to Obese categories would have to be shifted down to lower weights in order to more accurately determine whether you’re potentially at risk for weight-related health complications. So, whereas a BMI of 30 is the cut off for obesity, studies show that the cut off should be lower for post-menopausal women.
May 17, 2022 | Healthy Tips
Today, the number of the people living with hypertension has doubled to 1.28 billion, says World health Organisation (WHO), and nearly half of these people did not know they had it (More than 700 million people with untreated hypertension).
As an organisation working within the NCDs space, we know some of the effects of hypertension on our people! That hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart, brain, and kidney diseases that has caused many sudden death and disease among our people.
That, about 25-30% of medical emergencies at our medical centres got to do with issues related to high blood pressure and other Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). That hypertension does not show signs or symptoms, but it can be detected through checking of ones’ blood pressure either at home or in a health centre. That hypertension can often be treated effectively with medications that are low cost (but not often affordable).
From our field experience and conversations with our community people, we saw the prevalence of hypertension to be so high. We are asking our policymakers, international organisations such World Health organisation (WHO), International Hypertension Federation and community influencers to arise and help with a framework that can help in reducing the risk and burden that come with this ailment among our people.
We ask that they make our primary health centres a working one (be equipped to meet up the need of the people as the first point of contact) where our people can have access to the best treatment and possible medical referrals in case.
The cost of hypertension treatment per person in Nigeria is on the high side. It has led majority of our people to source for alternative means or abandoning treatments due to the high cost of treatment and medications with little family income (that is to tell us that there is poverty in the land). For people to access medical treatments and medications in a month, it cost; them over #5000 (in a population where the majority survive on less than a few hundred Naira per day).
We are asking, let there be an increase in awareness, screening, treatment, and control of hypertension among our people. They must be encouraged to visit our Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) with the assurance of having access to best of medical treatment.
Let there be considerations to the cost of procuring high blood pressure medications. If they can do it with HIV/AIDS and TB something like that can be done with hypertension treatment and other NCDs.
We must know that hypertension and other NCDs worsen our people’s poverty levels since it would not allow them to make a viable contribution to national income that can lead to growth and development.
We at the Rays Of Hope Support Initiative -ROHSI are saying; we can stop the surge of hypertension among our people if we all do our part.
We care for the health and wellbeing of our people. That is why we are #ROHSI3.
Mar 17, 2022 | Healthy Tips
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE?
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is known as a ‘silent killer’ as most people live with the disease for years before they have any symptoms. By the time the disease is detected, for many people it’s already too late. Hypertension and diabetes are the most common causes of CKD. Other much fewer common conditions that can cause CKD include inflammation, infections, genetics, or longstanding blockage to the urinary system (such as enlarged prostate or kidney stones
In an advanced stage, CKD can only be treated with regular dialysis or through a kidney transplant making it very expensive to manage. Early detection and prevention are essential. However, it can usually be prevented by controlling key risk factors but, most countries have no strategy for chronic kidney disease.
Left untreated, CKD progresses from Stage 1 through to Stage 5. Stage 5 is also known as End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which means regular dialysis treatment, or a kidney transplant is needed to survive.
Fast Facts about Chronic Kidney Disease
- Early chronic kidney disease has no signs or symptoms – many people living with CKD don’t even know it until the disease is in an advanced stage.
- About 10% of the adult population is living with some degree of CKD, and every year millions die prematurely from CKD and related complications.
- CKD is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which are the primary cause of death for all people living with CKD.
- If CKD is detected early and managed appropriately, the deterioration in kidney function can be slowed or even stopped, and the risk of associated cardiovascular complications can be reduced.
- CKD is largely preventable and can be detected early with simple blood and urine tests.
Symptoms and complications of CKD may include:
- High blood pressure
- Anaemia (low blood count)
- Weak bones
- Poor nutritional health
- Nerve damage
- Swollen ankles
- Fatigue
Another consequence of CKD is that it increases the risk of early death from associated cardiovascular disease (i.e., heart attacks and strokes). People living with CKD therefore have an increased risk of dying prematurely from cardiovascular disease, regardless of whether they ever develop kidney failure.
How can we prevent chronic kidney disease?
There are several ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.
- Be active
- Eat a healthy diet
- Reduce your salt intake
- Don’t smoke
- Check and control your blood sugar and blood pressure as part of your regular check-ups
- Get your kidney function checked if you have one or more of the ‘high risk’ factors: diabetes, hypertension, obesity, a family history of CKD.
Blood and urine tests can easily detect CKD and simple, low-cost treatments can slow the progression of the disease, reduce the risk of associated heart attacks and strokes, and improve quality of life.
The early detection of failing kidney function can be lifesaving because it allows CKD to be treated through medications, diet, and lifestyle changes rather than dialysis or a kidney transplant, which are economically inaccessible for most people around the world. These treatments are known as renal replacement therapies (RRT) because they attempt to “replace” the normal functioning of the kidneys.
When you have kidney failure, wastes and fluids accumulate in your body and you need regular dialysis treatments for life to remove these wastes and excess fluid from your blood. For patients who can access it, a kidney transplant combined with medications and a healthy diet can restore normal kidney function.
Note this! About 1.3 million people die from kidney disease each year, with an additional 1.4 million deaths from cardiovascular disease that are attributed to impaired kidney function.
CKD is increasing in prevalence – and at an alarming rate. CKD deaths increased by 41.5% from 1990 to 2020, rising from the 17th leading cause of death to the 10th. Now, it is expected that CKD will climb to the fifth leading cause of death globally by the year 2040.
This is primarily due to changes in the way we eat, drink and move – as the junk food industry reaches virtually all corners of the world with its health-harming products and aggressive marketing techniques, diabetes and hypertension – the key risk factors for CKD – are skyrocketing. Most of this increase is occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and among more marginalised communities in all countries.
CKD can occur at any age but becomes more common with increasing age and is more common in women. Although about half of people aged 75 or more have some degree of impaired kidney function, many of these people do not actually have diseases of their kidneys; they have normal ageing of their kidneys.
The cost of treating CKD represents an enormous burden on healthcare systems worldwide. In developed countries, kidney failure is a major cost driver for patients, their families and governments. For instance:
- According to a recent report published by NHS Kidney Care, in England, CKD costs more than breast, lung, colon and skin cancer combined.
- In the US, treatment of CKD is likely to exceed USD 48 billion per year, and the Stage 5 program consumes 6.7% of the total Medicare budget to care for less than 1% of the covered population.
In middle-income countries such as Nigeria, access to life-saving therapies has progressively increased, yet renal replacement therapy (dialysis or transplant) remains unaffordable for the vast majority of patients. Developing countries cannot afford dialysis or transplants at all—resulting in the deaths of over 1 million people annually from untreated kidney failure.
It is clear that we are not all equal with regard to kidney disease and access to treatment.
Courtesy: Rays of Hope support Initiative, NCD Alliance, National Kidney Foundation Et al
Dec 20, 2021 | News
HE ALMOST DIED FROM HYPERTENSION; NOW HE HELPS OTHERS LIVE FREE OF THE DISEASE
Benjamin Olorunfemi had strong headaches and felt body weakness amid racing heartbeats. When self-medication did not help, his wife persuaded him to see a doctor. What followed was slightly scary.
“I went as advised, and the doctor that attended to me raised an eyebrow about my blood pressure numbers [198/125 mmHg, way above the healthy average of 120/80 mmHg),” 49-year-old Olorunfemi said.
His condition was hypertension stage 3, the doctor explained further. The doctor prescribed some drugs for Olorunfemi, which he took and, fortunately, became better.
But during his recovery process, Olorunfemi wanted to know more about hypertension and how to control it, so he started reading online articles on the subject. This led him to discover that millions of Nigerians live with hypertension and other non-communicable diseases without knowing it.
His finding was consistent with a World Health Organisation report that says “most people with hypertension are unaware of the problem because it may have no warning signs or symptoms.”
Available data further confirms that at least 31% of Nigerians (66 million) are suffering from hypertension. And most of the 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 who live with the disease globally are from low and middle-income countries like Nigeria.
Olorunfemi takes action to help others
Inspired by his discovery, in 2017, Olorunfemi started a nonprofit organisation, Rays of Hope Support Initiative or ROHSI, to create awareness about hypertension and diabetes (another deadly disease affecting 5.77% of Nigerians) among rural residents of Oyo State in Southwest Nigeria, where he lives.
Olorunfemi started with a post on Facebook explaining what he planned to do and asking for volunteers. He got several responses, including from a pharmacist and three medical doctors who are now part of his volunteer pool of 19.
Operating from Plot 5. Block C, Oke Bola(CICS) Layout,Ondo Road, Otun Abese in Ibadan, Oyo State, ROHSI also provides free screening, medical advice, and free medications to patients with hypertension and diabetes via biannual community outreaches.
Once every six months, the group holds a health outreach in a rural community in either Oyo or Lagos State. The outreach is done in consultation and collaboration with community leaders, targeting young adults and the elderly.
Months before the outreach, the group runs physical and social media fundraising campaigns to raise money to buy drugs and handle other logistics during the one-day campaign.
On the day of the outreach, people come to a designated location. Medical experts in ROHSI’s team brief the attendees about hypertension and diabetes mellitus, the risk factors, dangers, symptoms, preventive measures., and what to do if they have symptoms of the diseases.
After that, each participant can proceed to see a doctor for testing. Those with positive results are directed to see another doctor who counsels them privately and sends a list of prescribed drugs to the pharmacist, who hands the medications to the patient for free.
“We test for their blood pressure, blood sugar level, as well as their weight. We offer medical education and treat them where necessary,” said Charles Fajonyomi, a volunteer medical doctor with the organisation.
“Our mandate is to reach out and impact the lives of Nigerians in our rural communities who are not aware of the life-threatening effects of hypertension and diabetes and the preventive methods,” adds Olorunfemi, who studied Banking and Finance but works as a security expert for a private security firm in Oyo.
Olorunfemi said the organisation had its first outreach in August 2017 at Irewumi community in Oyo State. Since then, it has reached about 10,000 people with information about hypertension and diabetes mellitus, including nearly 3000 people (across six communities in Lagos and Oyo states) it has screened and provided with health advice and free medications.
“At first, we thought it was a joke, but they treated us free of charge when they came to our community,” said 50-year-old Imam Ibraheem’, who benefitted during that first outreach in Irewumi.
For 59-year-old Taiwo Odukoya, a November 2019 beneficiary from Otun Abese community in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, “They checked my blood pressure, and it was high. They also told me my sugar level was high. “[Then] I was given drugs, and they followed up on me from time to time to be sure I was sticking to my medication and recovering well.”
As a means of follow-up on its beneficiaries, the organisation created a WhatsApp group where beneficiaries can always ask questions about their health and get advice from its volunteer doctors in the group. The group now has 256 members.
“We ask questions and talk to doctors [on the group] when we need to,” said Ibraheem’.
Fajonyomi, the doctor, said ROHSI is trying to change rural dwellers’ attitudes toward their health. And that is because “people’s attitude to their health is poor in our part of the world. Once people are not very sick, they don’t care about going for medical check-ups.”
According to Olorunfemi, the nonprofit conducts just two outreaches per year because, for now, its funding and funding sources are limited, mostly from family, friends, and colleagues and whatever they get from their social media calls for support per outreach.
He said none of the group’s regular calls for support from pharmaceutical companies, local authorities and donor organisations had yielded any significant fruits.
“Getting support isn’t always easy. Most times, we write to pharmaceutical companies seeking drugs, but that support never comes, and we have to purchase the drugs ourselves,” he said.
He said in the future, ROHSI hopes to build a medical centre in Oyo State, where people could have access to healthcare when they need it for free.
“Our primary healthcare system is not there yet, and it is supposed to be the first point of call for the majority of these preventable ailments in our communities, but that’s not the case. Also, the cost of accessing treatment and medication is so high that it discourages a lot of people from visiting health facilities when they have symptoms of these ailments,” Olorunfemi said.
First Published By Prime Progress https://primeprogressng.com/posts/he-almost-died-from-hypertension-now-he-helps-others-live-free-of-the-disease-55
