Overweight also is a risk factor for heart disease. Two key measures are used to determine if someone is overweight. These are the body mass index, or BMI, and waist circumference. BMI relates weight to height. Box 6 gives the BMI categories for men and women.
Weight is measured with underwear but no shoes.
Try not to gain weight. Do not gain any weight, especially if your waist measurement is high. You need to lose weight. See your doctor or a nutritionist if you need help. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults , National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, June 1998.