Interactive Tool: Do Your BMI and Waist Size Increase Your Health Risks?

What does this tool help you learn?

This interactive tool estimates your risk of weight-related diseases by using your body mass index (BMI) along with your waist measurement and other factors. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of some diseases, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. National Institutes of Health (2000). The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. (NIH Publication No. 00-4084). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf.

What does your score mean?

Your score will appear as one of the following ranges:

• Healthy weight and waist size: Your weight and waist size do not put you at risk for serious health problems.
• Moderate risk: Your weight or waist size is one reason you are at moderate risk for serious health problems. Talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk.
• High risk: Your weight or waist size is one reason you are at higher-than-normal risk for serious health problems that could shorten your life. Talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk.

What's next?

If you are concerned about your score, talk to your doctor about developing a healthy lifestyle. For more information, see the topic Weight Management.