Loss or weight gain - a problem that occurs in modern life. As underweight and overweight are equally dangerous to health. In marked deficiency of body weight develops dystrophy. Often the cause of degeneration is malnutrition (edema disease). Malnutrition exists both forced and deliberate. Desire to "keep fit" often leads to an unjustified refusal of nutrition. As a result, hair starts to fall, bleeding gums, exfoliate nails, dry skin, swollen feet, is sharply reduced work capacity, develop mental disorders. In severe forms of malnutrition observed cachexia, gross muscle atrophy, and multiple organ failure. The patient often falls into a coma before dying from starvation.

On the other hand the problem of overweight and obesity is one of the most acute in many industrialized countries. About 97 million U.S. residents are overweight or obese. People with more weight significantly increase the risk of serious diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and many others. If obesity increases mortality from various causes. People are obese, live in an average 6 - 8 years younger.

How can you check whether your weight is a threat to health? Currently, the most common method of determining the presence and severity of the deficit or excess weight is to calculate body mass index (BMI) with the help of body mass index calculator women. BMI - the ratio of body weight (in kilograms) to squared height (in meters). BMI can be used in patients at least 18 years. BMI should not be used in pregnant women.

BMI is the most correct to use in people with moderately developed muscles and bones of normal thickness. In other situations, this method should be used with caution. For example, during active sports body weight can be increased in comparison with the proper value for this growth at the expense of muscle mass. At the same time obesity is not, as the percentage of body fat remains in the normal range. At the same time, women with thin bones and underdeveloped muscles of the body mass index may correspond to normal, but the organism can be an excess of adipose tissue.
Great importance in the prognosis of type of obesity. Obesity is the top half of the torso (chest, abdomen, and waist) represents the greatest threat to the health of the patient. An increase in waist circumference of more than 102 cm in men and more than 88 cm in women and the relationship of waist circumference to hip circumference over 1.0 in men and more than 0, 85 women have a very high risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. At the same time, obesity in the lower half of the body (buttocks and thighs) often leads to diseases of veins of the legs.