Height and weight
Dr. Abhishek Subhash, consultant, internal medicine, Bhatia Hospital Mumbai, said that there should be “reduced reliability on the BMI calculator, height, and weighing scale” when it comes to fitness and wellness.
One of the most commonly asked topics is how much a person should weight in relation to their height and age. With no one solution, experts believe it has more to do with a person’s body type, lifestyle, and the physical activities they may engage in during the day. Nonetheless, by understanding the ideal height-to-weight ratio, you may control your weight and avoid lifestyle problems such as obesity, according to Dr Arvind Aggarwal, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute Delhi.
This is because everyone’s weight should be proportionate to their height. If we are unable to do so, we are inviting a slew of ailments. “Many individuals are unaware of how much they should weight in relation to their height,” he stated.
This estimate is generally based on the BMI (Body Mass Index), which is a popular technique for determining a person’s weight in proportion to their height. A BMI calculation yields a single figure that fits into one of the following points
- A BMI of less than 18.5 implies that the individual is underweight.
- A BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered ideal.
- A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.
- Obesity is characterised as having a BMI more than 30.
However, according to Dr. Abhishek Subhash, consultant, internal medicine, Bhatia Hospital Mumbai, the BMI is a “misleading” and “inaccurate” concept of weight measurement, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as other international medical associations, believe that doctors should rely on the BMI calculator very little. “Neither a doctor nor a biologist created the BMI. It was made by a mathematician. The BMI has several flaws, including the fact that it does not account for muscle mass, bone density, general body composition, or even ethnic and gender variances,” Dr. Abhishek informed.
Dr. Abhishek stated that there should be “reduced dependability on the BMI calculator, height, and weighing scale” while giving greater weightage to a person’s fitness and health. “These are simply figures. People should be more concerned with their health and fitness, which are not dictated by their height and weight. People should assess their fitness levels and if they can complete and accomplish their daily chores without trouble. “They should analyse and reflect on whether they have a decent diet, adequate movement, and adequate sleep,” stated Dr. Abhishek.
Dr. Arvind did, however, provide a sample height to weight ratio below
- If we are 4 feet 10 inches tall, our optimal weight should be 41 to 52 kg. If it is higher, it is harmful to one’s health.
- If we are five feet tall, our weight should be between 44 and 55.7 kg.
- If we are five feet two inches tall, our weight should be between 49 and 63 kg.
- If we are five feet four inches tall, our weight should be between 49 and 63 kg.
- A five-foot-six-inch-tall person’s weight should be between 53 and 67 kg.
- If we are five feet eight inches tall, we must weigh between 56 and 71 kilogrammes.
- At 5 ft 10 in, the weight should be between 59 and 75 kg.
- If we are six feet tall, our typical weight should be between 63 and 80 kg.
According to WebMD, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition released a research in September 2000 saying that body fat percentage may be a better marker of risk of weigh-related disorders than BMI. According to medicalnewstoday, assessing body fat percentage is a good approach to determine a person’s fitness level since it represents their body composition.
Laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, Saifee Hospital, Apollo Spectra, Namaha and Currae Hospitals, Mumbai and illustrated with an example, “Two different persons of the same height and same age may weight the same, and might also have the same BMI but their fat and muscle composition can be different. It is possible to have more muscle and less fat, and vice versa.”
As a result, scientists believe that maintaining an optimal weight requires a calorie deficit, which involves eating less calories than one expends. By combining this with regular exercise, one can decrease body fat since the body burns fat stores when it consumes less calories. However, consuming too little calories without carbs might result in fluid and muscle loss rather than fat loss. In this instance, the percentage of body fat increases, which is not considered healthy. The idea is to prioritise fat removal over weight loss and muscle building.
“A high body fat percentage may put one at a higher risk of lifestyle illnesses. In a previous conversation, Bala Krishna Reddy Dabbedi, a fitness guru and co-founder, director at Fittr, indicated a body fat percentage of 15 or lower for males and a body fat percentage of 25 or below for ladies.
What’s the best way to measure body fat?
- Skinfold measuring tape
- A DEXA or BCA (Body Composition Analysis) scan
- Online calculators (for example, the Fittr App’s body fat calculator)
What is the role of age?
According to the CDC, Dr. Aggarwal offered the following list of optimal weights based on age bracket:
A 19-29-year-old boy’s weight should be 83.4 kg, while a girl’s weight should be up to 73.4 kg.
A male aged 30-39 years should weight up to 90.3 kg, while a girl should weight up to 76.7 kg.
A 40-49 years old boy weight should be 90.9 kg, while a girl should weight 76.2 kg.
A 50-60 year-old boy’s weight should be up to 91.3 kg, and a girl’s weight should be up to 77.0 kg.