We live in a society where the voices that pressure us into looking one way or the other can make us want to focus on looking too thin (underweight) or having ‘enough body’ (overweight or obese). These voices can be from the media, friends, spouses/partners, family, culture and sometimes the work we do.
No matter how loud these voices sound, it is important for an individual to say no to them and focus on having a healthy weight. A healthy weight is one that matches your height, which is usually a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 as well as having a waist circumference below 94cm for men and 80cm for women. It is important to focus on having a healthy weight because of the following;
- Maintaining a healthy weight helps an individual to prevent and treat coronary heart disease as there are no excess fat deposits to clot the coronary arteries.
- Having a healthy weight helps an individual to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. This is because the individual is most likely not accumulating excess fat (overweight and obesity) which affects insulin’s activity.
- Having a healthy weight helps prevent and treat breast and bowel cancer as well as stroke which are all associated with overweight and obesity.
- Having a healthy weight helps boost your immune system so your body can fight against diseases and infections. This is because the body is well nourished. This is however not the case for an underweight person whose immune system is weakened since the body isn’t well nourished.
- When you have a healthy weight you’re most likely providing your body with nutrients such as calcium needed for strong bones and iron to prevent anaemia. However, an individual who is underweight will provide less calcium and iron to the body, making his or her bones weak increasing the risk of osteoporosis in later life as well the likelihood of becoming anaemic as a result of iron deficiency.
- Having a healthy weight is essential for a woman’s fertility. This is because a nourished body improves hormone production, and consequently the menstrual cycle. Again during a woman’s period, a lot of iron is lost. A healthy weight can help replace this lost iron. Some underweight females have little or no blood flow during their period.
- Having a healthy weight makes you less tired, thereby increasing your productivity.
The health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight are many. It is therefore important to focus on maintaining a healthy weight for a healthier life. Let’s connect you to one of our professionals.
Written and reviewed by: Irene Danquah, ANutr
Last page review: 23/12/2021
Next page review: 31/12/2024