• There is an ideal body mass for each person based on
their height.
• This varies from one person to another as heights vary.
A persons BMI is calculated using this formula:
BMI = body mass (kg) / height squared
Limitations of BMI
• BMI is commonly used to measure obesity but can wrongly classify muscular individuals as obese.
• For example individuals such as rugby players that have a low
percentage of body fat but a very high percentage of muscle.
• Using BMI this muscle would be wrongly classified as fat as their body mass would be high in comparison to their height.
Role of Exercise and Diet
Obesity is linked to high fat diets and a decrease in physical activity. The energy intake in the diet should limit fats and free sugars, as fats have a
high calorific value per gram and free sugars require no metabolic energy to be expended in their digestion.
Exercise increases energy expenditure and preserves lean tissue. Exercise can help to reduce risk factors for CVD by keeping weight under control, minimising stress, reducing hypertension and improving blood lipid profiles.
Exercise does not need to be strenuous to bring about weight loss but it does need to burn more energy than is being taken in. Combining a healthy diet with regular exercise is the best way of maintaining
a healthy weight. Having a healthy weight reduces your chances of developing high blood pressure.
