BMI

Body Mass Index is actually the measurement of your weight for your body surface area and it’s considered a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people.The two deciding factors are your weight and height. A BMI less than 18.5 is underweight. Below 25 is normal. A BMI of 25 through 29.9 is overweight, and 30 or higher is considered obese. However, these days many experts are questioning whether the BMI is an accurate way to measure a person’s fitness levels and general health. For example, people who are normally muscular or athletic or have high bone density would have a BMI comparable to someone who’s out of shape but that doesn’t mean they’re more prone to obesity-related lifestyle diseases. Therefore, nowadays there’s a greater tendency to measure a person’s body fat percentage which many believe is a more accurate indication of one’s health and well-being.

Want to live longer? Start at normal weight and gradually add on the pounds

People who enter adulthood with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range and move later in life to being overweight, but never obese, tend to live the longest, says a new study.
A higher BMI is a more powerful risk factor for diabetes than genetics

A new study says that obesity is the main modifiable cause of type 2 diabetes, while genetic make-up may also be responsible to a certain extent.
High BMI may improve cancer survival: New study

Surprisingly, researchers observed improved responsiveness to a cancer drug in those with a high body mass index (BMI). The findings contradict regular warnings about the health risks of patients who are overweight and obese.
5 exercises that curb your hunger and help you lose weight

Some easy-to-do stretching workouts will work as hunger suppressants and help you achieve your weight-loss mission.
Media multitasking can lead to obesity

Do you keep juggling between digital devices like smartphone, tablet and PC? Then, don't do so. According to a new study, media multitasking can cause obesity.
Low body weight can increase the risk of developing anorexia nervosa in kids, reveals study

A recent study has showed that persistent low body mass index (BMI) in children; starting as young as age two for boys and four for girls, may be a risk factor for developing anorexia nervosa in adolescence.
School-based nutritional programmes can reduce obesity in kids: Study

Students in schools with enhanced nutrition policies and programmes reported healthier behaviours than their peers in schools without such programmes.
Study finds sufficient sleep in childhood may lead to healthy BMI later

The study revealed that those who had no bedtime routine at age nine had shorter self-reported sleep duration and higher body mass index (BMI) at age 15 when compared to those children with age-appropriate bedtimes.
Fixed bedtime, sufficient sleep may lead to healthier teens, says study

According to a recent study, having a fixed bedtime and getting sufficient amount of sleep from early childhood may lead to a healthy body weight in adolescence.
Mother's weight determines child's BMI: Study

A new study published in the journal BMJ Open has revealed that besides genetic factors, mother's weight can directly influence a child's body mass index (BMI) in adolescence.
How does PCOS make women more susceptible to type 2 diabetes?

The physiological factor that links polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. Read on to understand the association better and figure out how you can manage PCOS with the right foods and reduce the risk of diabetes.
Being overweight or underweight may take away 4 years of your life, reveals study

You will be shocked to know that being over or underweight can cause serious health issues and can cost you four years off your life. Yes, you have heard it right as the study published in the medical journal Lancet, says so.
Wedding special: 9 weight loss diet tips for all brides-to-be

Want to lose weight and look stunning in your wedding trousseau but have just a few days left to go? Here are some tips you need to start following ASAP!
Obesity could be a risk factor of colon cancer in women, says a study

The Indian diet that is rich in fibre and also includes a lot of vegetables and fruits in them keeps the colon healthy for long and protects us from this form f cancer. But as we keep aping the western culture, increase dependency on junk food and eat less of a balanced diet the chances of suffering from colon cancer increases.
Weight and diet may affect response to bipolar disorder treatment: Study

A new clinical trial has shown that how people respond to treatment for Bipolar Disorder may be influenced by their weight and the overall quality of their diet, including whether they are eating a diet high in foods thought to contribute to general inflammation.
The warning signs of type 2 diabetes can be predicted 20 years before its onset, says research

The researchers concluded high fasting blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, along with higher BMI, become a precursor to type 2 diabetes at least 10 years before diagnosis the actual diagnosis.
Diabetes can increase your risk of suffering from arthritis

Researchers from the Nordsjaellands University Hospital in Denmark have found that people with diabetes are 33 per cent more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis -- a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissues at the ends of bones wear down.
Body Mass Index linked to mental health and these other conditions

Body Mass Index or BMI could be an indicator of several diseases and conditions including your mental health. That's why it's important to calculate and understand your BMI.
Higher BMI may have harmful effects on mental wellbeing

Turns out, there is an increasing need to prevent obesity because of the consequences for mental and physical health.
Body mass index linked to blood pressure, reveals study

It was observed that those who were not taking an antihypertensive medication, had an increase of 0.8 to 1.7 mm Hg (kg/m2) in blood pressure per additional unit of body mass index (BMI).