Handbook of Weight Management
Table of Contents
What's the Ideal Weight?
The medical industry uses a particular height to weight relationship, called the body mass index (BMI), to determine the idea weight of a person. Your BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. The mathematical expression is:
BMI = Weight / (Height)2
where your weight is in kilograms and your height is in meters.
As an example, if your height is 6ft and your weight is 70kg, convert your height to meters and then do the following calculation:
= 70 / (1.83 * 1.83)
= 70 / 3.35
= 20.90
For adults over 20 years old1, here is what BMI indexes mean:
| BMI | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 - 24.9 | Ideal weight |
| 25 - 29.9 | Pre-Obesity |
| 30 - 34.9 | Obesity Class I |
| 35 - 39.9 | Obesity Class II |
| 40 and above | Obesity Class III |
However for children, BMIs meanings depend on age groups (0-5 and 5-19) and percentiles. But because child growth consists of multiple variables, weight management for children is beyond the scope of this handbook. Please consult your paediatrician with respect to your child's growth.
What should you do next?
Calculate your BMI and decide whether you are underweight, overweight or have the ideal weight.
Next, learn the weight formula and understand the science of weight management (discussed next).
Then, learn the basics of influencing your weight (discussed later in the handbook).
Lastly, do the work needed. This is the most difficult step of the lot.
That's it! Good luck.
Corrections?
We base our writings on science and reasoning, but we could be victims of cognitive biases whilst doing our research. If there are any inaccuracies in our writings, please do let us know.