WHAT IS HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT

One of the easiest ways to check if you’re in a healthy weight is by measuring your Body Mass Index (BMI), which calculates the range of healthy weights for different heights and is a useful guide for most adults. Follow the simple procedures below:

1. Convert your weight into kilograms (kg) and your height into metres (m).

2. Divide your weight by your height squared. This figure is your BMI.

You might have read from some other guidelines that recommend a different cut-off for overweight and obesity. Indeed, the WCRF guide has indicated that healthy BMI for men and women in Asia is between 18.5-22.9. Hence in the public health goal above, BMI was targeted at between 21 and 23.

Malaysian dietary guidelines continue to use BMI of between 18.5 to 24.9 as the desirable weight range. This is also the World Health Organisation recommended range. It is not necessary to be overly hung up on cut-offs. What is important is to bear in mind the recommendation of WCRF to be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight.

For cancer prevention, it is important to remember that we should aim for the lower end of this range.

We have noted earlier that where the extra weight is laid down is important. We know that having excess fat around the waist is especially harmful. It is therefore useful to measure waist circumference as an approximate indicator of abdominal fat mass. It is a convenient and simple measurement that can be done using a tape measure.

As a guide, a healthy waist measurement is less than 80 cm (32 inches) for women and less than 90 cm (35 inches) for men. Remember that the measurement should be taken after breathing out!

Tips for maintaining healthy body weight

In most cases, overweight or obesity results from excessive intake of calories and lack of physical activity. You can lose weight by increasing your activity and reducing your food intake. In general, aim to lose no more than 0.5 to 1 kg per week.

The WCRF recommendations have provided several useful tips for maintaining ideal body weight. The Malaysian dietary guidelines have also provided several similar tips. I do believe these are doable things; we just have to tune our mind towards believing in them and actually doing them.

A) Lead a more active life; sneak in some exercises in your daily routine.

B) At work, do desk exercises or walk to your colleague’s work station instead of talking on the phone.

C) Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

D) Walk instead of driving for short distances.

E) If you drive, park further away from your destination and walk.

F) Wash your car yourself, clean your house briskly, do gardening/farming or mow your lawn.

G) Exercise at least three times per week for 20-30 minutes each time.

H) Go jogging, swimming, cycling or do brisk walking.

I) Take up recreational sports.

J) Play golf (minus the buggy).

K) Eat less high-fat, high-calorie foods and snacks.

L) Avoid overeating, nibbling and eating at irregular times.

M) Keep an eye on portion sizes as controlling the amount you eat is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight.

N) Avoid weight-loss diets that severely restrict calories and other nutrients.

O) Trying to lose weight with self-induced vomiting and the use of laxatives or diuretics can be dangerous.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Recognising the high rate of overweight and obesity in this country, firm public health actions should be continued to arrest this increase. I refer again to the strategies and activities outlined in the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN) of Malaysia. It is the responsibility of all to take firm action, today.

Obesity is a chronic disease that creeps slowly into individuals, into the community. You should be aware that overweight and obesity increases your risk to coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure.

It also aggravates arthritis and breathing problems. It is probably less well known that overweight and obesity also causes certain cancers.

Now, the evidence is clear. Now you know that overweight and obesity can also increase risk to certain cancers. There is no doubt that maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer.

It is time that every Malaysian should know his body weight. He should monitor this weight regularly and take steps to maintain it within the desirable range. This should be done while he is still young. What is required is determination and discipline.

The full WCRF report can be obtained from the World Cancer Research Fund International website: www.dietandcancerreport.org/. The Malaysian dietary guidelines on maintaining healthy body weight is available from the Nutrition Society of Malaysia website: www.nutriweb.org.my.