More and more people are taking their health seriously, which for the health of the United States is a good thing since recent studies have shown that the general population are continuing to become not just overweight, but obese!
Maybe you’ve had an experience when you’ve gone to your family physician for your annual checkup, only to be told after getting on the office scale that your body fat content is higher than it should be. And you do a double take and start asking yourself just what’s going on? You feel great and you’re not carrying around a volleyball at your waistline. Your active but your doctor shows you the numbers and it’s a little disconcerting to see the numbers all add up to your BMI creeping up to that danger zone level of 199… So what do doctors and other health specialists consider obesity to be?
Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese.
Typical guidelines for weight are:
Adult Body Mass Index (BMI)
Height Weight Range Considered:
5’9” 124 lbs or less Underweight
125 lbs to 168 lbs Healthy weight
169 lbs to 202 lbs Overweight
203 lbs or more Obese
For most adults, having a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 means you're considered to be a healthy weight. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered to be overweight, and someone with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese.
The body mass index (BMI)-Body Mass Index has replaced the old height and weight charts as the most widely used tool to assess whether someone is at a healthy body weight. Both men and women use the same formula, a ratio of height to weight that helps assess whether they are underweight, normal weight, or overweight.
For most people, the BMI is a good assessment of body fat, overweight, and health risk.
So how do you measure your BMI accurately? Do I need to go to my doctor periodically to have it checked and pay a doctor’s visit fee?
Thanks to technology today, there are devices available to you that previously were only available to physicians, and only on a limited basis. One such BMI measuring device is the Omron HBF306C Handheld Body Fat Loss Monitor
The Omron Fat loss Monitor does just what the name says, it measures your overall fat loss and equates it against your BMI. It has two handles that allow electric currents to pass through them but only in minimal quantities that are not harmful to you.
These currents proceed to analyze the consistency of your body and to let you know what you weigh.
The handles are similar to the ones you see on the treadmills. The analysis tells you what percentage of your weight is fat, muscle, the water content in your body and your BMI. This analysis can provide you with the details on just where you need to concentrate your efforts in order to get your BMI down to more acceptable numbers.
It displays the results on the small screen so that you have enough information to act. Before the availability of this device to the public, only a certified doctor would give these results.
For efficiency, you are advised to use the machine at the same time as you did the day before.
Additionally, since the machine passes electric currents, it is not advisable to for pregnant women and people with pacemakers to use it. It is otherwise safe for those who do not fall into these two categories.
Features and Benefits
Body fat refers to the amount of fat you have in your body.
While some level of fat is allowed, men and women have a limit beyond which they would be termed as obese.
The ideal body fat content for a woman is 21 percent and 18 percent in men. This level is for the average man and woman who works out to stay fit but is not an athlete. For athletes, their level of fat goes down to 14 percent for women and 8 percent in men.
The Omron fat loss monitor is easy to use, seeing that all you need to do is to grip the handles and wait for it to transfer the electric currents, which only takes seconds. Once that is done, the results show up on the screen in only seconds. They are not hard to interpret as you get them in their simplest form.
Accuracy
If you follow the instructions provided with the Omron’s Body Fat Monitor manual, your results are going to be entirely accurate. For optimal results, you are advised to use this monitor right after you wake up, as that is the point at which your body is at its most accurate composition.
It is also best to allow some time to pass after you take copious amounts of water, taken a bath, or after exercising before taking your measurements. These activities alter your body composition and cause your results to be inaccurate.
So, you have a couple of choices. You can go on going to your family doctor, and we really recommend that you do, so you have no surprises regarding the state of your health. But the availability of having an Omron Body Fat Monitor allows you to stay on top of your BMI and take the necessary steps (EXERCISE) in order to keep those readings in line!