Human body weight
Overview of human body weight
This article is about the weight of the human body. For other uses, see Body weight (disambiguation).
Human body weight refers to the mass or weight of a person. It is measured in kilograms or pounds, depending on the region. Body weight is an important indicator of health and is used in various medical and fitness assessments.
Factors affecting body weight[edit | edit source]
Several factors can influence a person's body weight, including:
- Genetics: Genetic makeup can affect metabolism and body composition.
- Diet: The types and amounts of food consumed directly impact body weight.
- Physical activity: Regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight by burning calories.
- Metabolism: The rate at which the body burns calories can vary between individuals.
- Hormones: Hormonal imbalances can lead to weight gain or loss.
- Age: Metabolism tends to slow down with age, affecting weight.
- Sleep: Poor sleep patterns can contribute to weight gain.
Measuring body weight[edit | edit source]
Body weight is typically measured using a weighing scale. It is important to measure weight consistently, at the same time of day and under similar conditions, to track changes accurately.
Body weight and health[edit | edit source]
Maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial for overall health. Being overweight or underweight can lead to various health issues:
- Obesity: Excess body weight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
- Underweight: Being underweight can lead to malnutrition, osteoporosis, and anemia.
Body Mass Index (BMI)[edit | edit source]
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common method used to assess whether a person has a healthy body weight. It is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. The BMI categories are:
- Underweight: BMI < 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI 18.5–24.9
- Overweight: BMI 25–29.9
- Obesity: BMI ≥ 30
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
