Assessing themselves, some stand on the scales, while others do not attach importance to numbers, but trust only in their reflection in the mirror. What is the ideal weight for a person?
Ideal weight is the value at which a person feels well and does not have diseases caused or aggravated by overweight or vice versa underweight.
There are several ways to determine your ideal weight, although none of them can be called absolutely correct. The formulas for calculating the optimal body weight are true for some people and completely not suitable for others. Weight depends not only on growth, but also on the type of addition, distribution of fat, muscle mass, age, gender. People of the same height and age, approximately the same in body volume, can have different weights. And vice versa, having one height and weight, people can look completely different: one will be toned and strong, and the other will be plump and loose.
The most common way to determine the ideal weight is the formula - growth minus one hundred in men and height minus one hundred and ten in women. This formula is most suitable for people of high growth, but does not work for undersized, elderly and people with well-developed muscles. Therefore, fluctuations in one direction or another within 10% are allowed. Corrections are made to this formula for people below 175 centimeters. For those whose height is below 165 cm, 103 are subtracted from the growth, for people with a height of 165 to 175 cm, 106 is subtracted. Amendments to this formula are made depending on the type of physique. For asthenics - high, thin-boned - 10% is subtracted from the obtained value, for hypersthenics - broad-bones, stocky - 10% is added.
More accurately, you can calculate the ideal weight according to the formula derived by Quetelet. This value is usually called the body mass index. This method, which is common throughout the world, is usually used by doctors. To calculate the mass index, you need the weight taken in kilograms divided by the square of the person’s height in meters. The resulting value reflects a deficit, rate, or excess weight. The norm is a value from 19 to 25. If the indicator is below 19, then we are talking about a lack of weight, if above 25, then overweight is on the face.
One of the most correct ways to determine the optimal weight is to calculate the fat content as a percentage of total body weight. This can only be done using special equipment. A normal value is considered equal to 21-24% of fat for women, 14-17% for men. Nowadays, special scales have appeared that can be used to determine not only body weight, but also the percentage of body fat.
Another way to determine your ideal weight is to measure your waist circumference. If the waist circumference exceeds 80 centimeters, then we can talk about overweight. If the waist is in a circle of more than 88 centimeters, then we are talking not only about excess subcutaneous fat, but also significant fat deposits on the internal organs.
How close to ideal weight is the ratio of waist to hip. It is necessary to measure the circumference of the waist and hips and divide the first value into the second. For a woman, the best indicator is the result - 0.7, and the norm - no more than 0.85. For men, the norm is a value of no more than 1. If this ratio is within the normal range, then body weight is optimal in terms of health. This method is not perfect, because it does not take into account the content of muscle and adipose tissue.
Another way to determine your ideal weight is to measure the vertical fat fold near your belly button. If the fold is less than 2 centimeters, then the weight is normal, if more than 2 cm, then excess weight is present. The disadvantage of this method is the possibility of incorrect capture of the folds.
Of great importance for health and longevity is the localization of adipose tissue. If fat forms under the skin, then it is peripheral obesity, if it is around the internal organs, then obesity is called central. The second type of obesity has the most adverse health effects.