Does obesity cause heart disease and how can you reduce your risk?
Learn how obesity can increase the risk of developing heart disease and how you can work with your doctor to reduce your risk
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool that is often used as a surrogate measure of body fat, and can screen for obesity and associated health risks. It can be calculated using a BMI calculator based on height and weight and results can be categorised into different classes, ranging from underweight through to obesity class III.
You can use the BMI calculator here to divide your weight in kg by
your height in meters and compare your result to the BMI classes.
Enter your height and weight and check your results in the table
below. Click on a BMI class to learn more.
Classification | BMI |
Underweight | Below 18.5 |
Normal | 18.5-24.9 |
Overweight | 25.0-29.9 |
Obesity | 30 and above |
Class I | 30.0-34.9 |
Class II | 35.0-39.9 |
Class III | 40 and above |
*Classification given by the World Health Organization (WHO). This BMI calculator is for adults 20 years or older. Talk to your doctor about your BMI if you're under the age of 20. BMI classification are based on WHO BMI classification.
BMI is a good way to check your risk of diseases related to body fat. Living with overweight or obesity is associated with an increased risk of mortality and other diseases or conditions. Generally, the higher your BMI, the greater the risk of developing other chronic obesity-related diseases, including:
Ask your doctor for more information about any of these diseases and
how they relate to your BMI. You can also learn more about the health
benefits of losing weight here.
BMI is a simple and objective measurement, but it can be misleading in certain cases and for some groups of people. Research has shown that BMI is less accurate in predicting the risk of disease in people who are older, athletes, those who are tall or short, and those with more muscular body types. For example, elite athletes or bodybuilders have more muscle and weigh more, which makes their BMI higher.
BMI also doesn't take into account:
It's important to remember that living with obesity doesn't necessarily mean you're unhealthy, just as being at a ‘normal’ weight doesn't mean you're healthy. Your BMI doesn't define you, but knowing and understanding your BMI can be a powerful tool for taking charge of your own health.
Regardless of your BMI, healthcare professionals recommend having a
healthy diet and lifestyle. Talk to your doctor about your weight and
health and evaluate what actions may be needed.
People living with overweight, or obesity have a higher risk of
developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), also known as heart disease.
Although both BMI and Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) can be used to assess a person’s risk of developing CVD, WtHR is considered to be a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
BMI is used to indicate a person’s weight category, based on their height and weight. WtHR, on the other hand, is used to measure the distribution of a person’s body fat, based on their height and waist circumference. Measuring WtHR is important, as an excess level of fat stored around the abdomen, in particular, is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Knowing both your BMI and WtHR can help you to improve your heart health by understanding whether action should be taken to manage your weight.
Click here to calculate your Waist to Height Ratio and what this means for you.
HQ24OB00474
Talk to your weight management provider about treatment options that could prevent the weight you lose from coming back.