Healthy Weights for Adults
Why it is Important to Maintain a Healthy Weight
Having an unhealthy weight puts you at an increased risk for many diseases including diabetes, colon, breast and prostate cancer, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis and heart disease and stroke which are the leading cause of death for men and women in Canada. Maintaining a healthy body weight will not only make you feel and look better, it will also give you more energy and provide you with better overall health.
Estimate your Healthy Weight
The quickest and most common way to assess your weight is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI).
You can also use the online BMI calculator by clicking here.
It is important to note that a BMI is accurate for almost everyone but should not be used for anyone under 18 and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Also keep in mind that it may be less accurate for people who are extremely muscular.
Waist Circumference is also a good way to determine if you are at an increased risk for serious health problems. Click here to find out how to properly measure your waist circumference – remember it is not the same as your pant size!
If you are a male, and your waist circumference is greater than 102 cm or 40 inches you are at an increase risk.
If you are a female and your waist circumference is greater than 88 cm or 35 inches you are at an increased risk.
The good news is there is something you can do about it! Check out the resources below and get on your way to a healthy weight! Or call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-510-2 to speak to a dietitian for free!
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
The best way to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight is to exercise regularly and following Canada’s Food Guide. The food guide provides you with a recommended number of servings per day for your age group as well as serving sizes of different foods. A good way to see if you are following the serving sizes suggested by Canada’s Food Guide is to measure out what you would normally eat and compare it to the actual serving size from the food guide.
Resources:
- Healthy Weight Action Plan – is a free personalized online, 12 week, program that will support you in achieving healthy eating habits and a healthy weight.
- Healthy Habits, Healthy Weights English/French
- Eat Tracker English/French
- Portion Distortion Quiz This quiz will show you how big serving sizes today are
compared to those 20 years ago.
Last reviewed: February 11, 2011