One of the most common problems of the 21st century is the issue of obesity. According to WHO, every year the number of people suffering from this disease is growing exponentially. A particularly depressing situation is among children: according to 2010 results, the age group up to 5 years was characterized by overweight (which is more than 40 million children). Obesity can and should be treated, but it can be prevented in the simplest way - to monitor the Quetelet index, aka body mass index (BMI).
What is BMI?
Body mass index (aka body weight index) is a medical indicator of human health. Nature does not tolerate uniformity, including in relation to the appearance of man. The physical appearance is affected by both height and weight. Therefore, when diagnosing obesity, both of these indicators are taken into account. Weight index The body is calculated using a variety of techniques. The classical calculation formula is considered to be one in which the indicator is equal to the result of dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared.
Despite the fact that most nutritionists, including WHO consultants, consider this formula to be correct and sufficient, some of them recommend taking into account the calculation of BMI and the type of physique of a person. In contrast to them, individual researchers consider the only sufficient knowledge of only human growth. In this case, the body index can be calculated by a simple formula: a person’s height minus 100 for men or 110 for women (Paul Brock's method). Consider in more detail the Ketl BMI categories designed for adults and children.
Adult Ketle Index
Growth - weight BMI, used by most doctors in the diagnosis of obesity in adults, is based on the derivation of a certain coefficient.
So, there are 5 ranges that characterize the physical condition of a person. The first one includes a “branch” from 20 to 25 units. In this case, a person’s weight is considered normal. All other categories indicate the presence of a painful condition. So, a range of 25-26 is correlated with overweight, talking about a predisposition to obesity. "Fork" indicators in 26-30 may mean obesity of the first degree. If the coefficient obtained varies between 30 and 40, then there is obesity of the second degree, and above 40 - of the third degree.
Recently, the presented body index is only a guideline. This is due to the fact that most doctors are increasingly inclined to believe that two indicators (height and weight) are not enough. And therefore, studies are supplemented by body type, gender and age, and in some situations, and the patient's condition (in this case, we are talking about the state of pregnancy).
In addition to obesity, the body index effectively identifies another problem of our time - anorexia. In this disease, ITM equals or is less than 17.5. However, an indicator of less than 20 should already be alarming.
Ketle index in children
Although the formula for calculating BMI for children remains unchanged, WHO has adjusted the ranges of degrees of children's health. The adjustment occurred not only in numerical indicators: the age of the child was also taken into account. So, starting from the age of 2 and ending with the 19th birthday, the child falls under special tables called the Quetelet index 2. This also takes into account the gender of the child. Here is an example: a child has reached the age of two. At the same time, his height is 97 cm, and weight - 16 kg. These parameters do not fit into the generally accepted WHO developmental child development charts. And therefore, it is especially important for parents to know in which group their child is. We calculate according to the above formula and get a BMI of 17.02. Next, we determine the gender of the child - male - and track the category. This indicator falls into the area of children with a healthy diet and should not cause concern. It is also worth noting that the state of the child’s BMI should be strictly monitored by the doctor observing him.
Summing up, it should be concluded that BMI is an important indicator of the health of both adults and children. Periodic monitoring of it makes it possible to maintain a mobile lifestyle and prevent many diseases associated with both obesity and anorexia.