BMI (Body Mass Index)

BMI ( Body Mass Index)
- Click here for the Body Mass Index Table

The Body Mass Index is a very simple method of assessing your body weight and comparing yourself to standards that have been compiled for the North American population. It is considered a reliable indicator of body fat in both men and women. There is a correlation between increased amounts of body fat and several reversible forms of disease.

You should know that patients who are overweight have a much greater chance of developing high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or other blood lipid disorders, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer.

In order to improve your general health and lower your risk for these serious illnesses, you should be at or near your ideal weight. This is even more urgent if you already have one of these illnesses or any of the following risk factors: high blood pressure (hypertension), high LDL-cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood glucose (sugar), a family history of heart disease, physical inactivity or smoke cigarettes. Each of these risk factors can be modified by you and should be addressed prior to thinking about having an elective surgical procedure. Your family doctor is the best place to start if you are interested in improving your health.

Although the BMI is a very useful tool, it does have some limitations. It can overestimate fat in athletes and others who are more muscular. It can underestimate the body fat in older persons or in those who have lost muscle mass.

Finally, your waist measurement is also extremely important in determine your risk for some diseases. Place a tape measure around your waist snugly. If your waist measurement is over 40 inches for men and over 35 inches for women, your risks for many diseases increase. Increased abdominal girth combined with a BMI of greater than 30 is a bad combination and should be promptly addressed with lifestyle changes rather than with cosmetic surgery.

Sources: National Institute of Health.

Ask our very knowledgeable staff about BMI or any of our body contouring services. Speak to our staff directly or call 604-888-9378 (toll free 1-800-527-7697) to arrange your consultation.

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Click here to download a
Body Mass Index Chart.