How Healthy Are You?

The simple questions below will help determine whether you are healthy or at a possible health risk.

Being at an increased health risk means you are at an increased possibility of a number of diseases and health concerns. Including:

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
  • Dyslipidemia (e.g. high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
  • Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
  • Stroke
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
  • And even Premature death

1. BMI

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool that can be used to tell how healthy a person's weight is. You can use the BMI to find out if you're a healthy weight for your height.

BMI = weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared = kg/m2.

  • Take your weight in kilograms (kg) and divide it by your height in metres (m)
  • Then divide the result by your height in metres (m) again.

    • For example, if you weigh 70kg, and you're 1.75m tall,

    (70/1.75 = 40 and 40/1.75 = 22.9).

    Your BMI would be 22.9

    BMI Categories:

    Classification BMI
    (kg/m2)    		 Risk of Devleoping Other Diseases
    Underweight <18.5 Low
    Healthy Weight 18.5-24.9 Average
    Overweight 25-29.9 Increased
    Obesity, Class I 30-34.9 Moderate
    Obesity, Class II 35-39.9 Moderate
    Obesity, Class III > 40 - Very Severe

    The BMI result indicates whether a person is underweight, normal, overweight or obese, and is a positive correlation between your height and your weight.
    To find out more consult you're GP or an Health and Fitness practitioner.

    If you fall into the obese bracket, then ask yourself - are you an active person or do you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Start today by allowing yourself at least 30mins of physical activity a day 3-5 times per week. Try to do this at set time so it becomes a regular part of your daily routine. For example walk to work.

    2. Waist Circumference

    • Determine your waist circumference by placing a measuring tape snugly around your waist, running parallel through the line of the belly button.
    • It is a good indicator of your abdominal fat, which is a predictor of your risk for developing health problems.
    • Visceral fat (stomach fat) is the fat surrounding the vital organs on the abdominal area. High levels of visceral fat increase the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. For example beware the beer belly!

    • You should be concerned if:
    • You are male, and your waistline exceeds 101cm
    • If you are female and is your waistline is above 89cm

    3. Waist - Hip Ratio

    • Waist-hip ratio or Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is the ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips.
    • It measures the proportion by which fat is distributed around the torso. Measuring body size and composition or body shape. A pear shape means that fat builds up on your hips, apple shape means fat gravitates to your waist and upper torso, or avocado shaped is somewhere in between.
    • It's important to know what shape you have because an avocado- or apple-shaped body can put you at risk of certain weight-related health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
    • Measure your waist (through the belly button) and the hip (at the widest point)
    • Divide waist measurement, by hip measurement: to give your ratio.
      • Ratio Good Healthy Average High Health Risk Extremely bad!
      Male 0.85-0.90 0.91-0.95 0.96-1.00 >1.00
      Female 0.75-0.80 0.81-0.85 0.86-0.90 >0.90

      4. Current Health Problems

      You are at an increased health risk if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

      Studies consistently find that regular light-to-moderate exercise has a positive effect on the general health of people with diseases or chronic conditions.

      However, you should seek medical advice before beginning a workout program.

      5. Family History

      You are also at a higher health risk if your immediate family have of have had, the any of health problems mentioned in question 4.

      6. Weight Gain

      You are at increased risk if you have you gained more than 10kg (22lbs or 1.6st) as an adult.

      In 2004 24million adults were Overweight or obese. That's 2/3rds of the adult population... and it's rising. The cost of obesity is 6.6bn a year. Don't be one of them!

      7. Activity Levels

      • Ask yourself if you are physically active for more than 30mins a day, if the answer is no, this will contribute to likelihood of you experiencing the following ten health problems.
        1. Cancer: Studies have shown men and women who are physically active have a 30 to 40 % lower risk of colon cancer compared to individuals who are inactive.
        2. Diabetes: or the 'sedentary disease' is linked to lack of regular physical exercise; which increases insulin sensitivity.
        3. Heart: over time a lack of consistent physical activity, decreases the function of the heart muscle, and affects the blood vessels. According to many studies, scientists have good reason to believe that regular exercise protects the heart.
        4. Stroke: Regular exercisers are 25% less likely to have a stroke than their sedentary counterparts. Being fit lowers blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol, and reduces the risk of blood clots.
        5. Brain: Physically active people, according to solid evidence, are at lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia.
        6. Muscle: If you don't exercise on a regular basis, you are at risk of losing some 6 % of your muscles mass, and 10-15% strength every decade of life from the age of 30 on.
        7. Osteoporosis: Bone is similar to muscle in that if you stress it, it responds. If you don't and are largely sedentary your bones loose strength. Regular weekly strength training can help prevent osteoporosis, and decrease your chances of breaking a bone.
        8. Mental health: People who don't exercise on a regular basis are more prone to develop depression. Fitness conscious individuals also generally display an improved self esteem, or self image. So be fit and happy!
        9. Weight: If you are inactive, year in and year out, you will eventually gain weight and lose fitness which increases the chance of a heart attacks, and diabetes.
        10. Immune system: Moderate amounts of exercise reduce the risk of upper respiratory infection and regular exercise may boost immune function.

      8. Poor Diet

      A balanced diet is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. A poor diet can lead to: Coronary Heart Disease, high blood pressure, non-insulin dependent diabetes, constipation, joint pain, being out of breath.

      Your risks multiply if you eat too much animal fat, smoke, drink alcohol and take very little exercise. See 'Activate Your Active Life' for nutritional help.

      9. Smoking

      • If you are a smoker, you are at an increased health risk
      • Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK, around 114,000 people die from smoking related illnesses.
      • Smoking increases the risk of at least 50 medical conditions including dementia and digestive problems. Some conditions may be fatal, and others can cause irreversible, chronic damage to your health.
      • Some conditions that can be caused by smoking include: smoker's cough, cancers of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas and stomach, coronary heart disease, impotence, stroke, and chronic bronchitis and emphysema (lung conditions).

      If you answered yes to two or more questions it's about time you did something about your lifestyle.

      Getting started is often the hardest step. Pace 'n' go have the expertise in health and exercise to advise and help you towards a more balanced and healthy life. Check out 'activate your active life' to start making some positive changes in your life.

      If you answered yes to two or more questions it's about time you did something about your lifestyle.

      Getting started is often the hardest step. Pace 'n' go have the expertise in health and exercise, we will advise and help you towards a more balanced and healthy life. Check out 'Activate Your Active Life' to start making some positive changes in your life.

      If you answered no to all the questions - well done! But keep eating well and exercising regularly to maintain a healthy and happy life balance.

      DISCLAIMER
      Pace 'n' Go accept no liability to injuries or illness. Your exercise programme is entered into at entirely your own risk. Please consult a medical doctor before engaging in any physical activity. All payments are non refundable. 24 hour cancellation period required.