The body weight varies from person to person. It plays a role in the quality of life in many ways and can be hazardous to health if it is too low or too high.
What is the body weight?
Body weight describes the physical mass of a person. The unit of measurement used in Germany is the kilogram. The body weight can be checked using commercially available bathroom scales.
Eating habits or illnesses can lead to significant overweight or underweight. A rough guide for measuring deviations is used, among other things, the so-called normal weight. This is calculated from the individual height in centimeters minus 100. According to this, the normal weight of a person who is 180 centimeters tall would be 80 kilograms.
The actual body weight is often compared with the ideal weight or body mass index (BMI). The body mass index describes the relationship between body weight and height and enables conclusions to be drawn about the percentage of body fat. The BMI is determined taking into account the body weight divided by the height squared. To calculate the ideal weight, you need information about gender, height and BMI, which means normal weight for this gender. When calculating the lower range of ideal weight, a BMI value of 20 for men and 19 for women is required. To calculate the upper range of the ideal weight, a BMI value of 24 for women and 25 for men is required. The concept of the BMI is not without controversy.
Function & task
A normal body weight is an important prerequisite for maintaining a healthy balance. In addition to the usual orientation aids and measuring methods for determining the personally appropriate body weight, the comfort weight also plays a role. This is not determined by the measurable weight in relation to the body size, but by perceived values and the assessment of the person concerned. A clue for an individually justifiable comfort weight is the ability of the person to be able to maintain the weight in the long term without problems.
Around every second German citizen no longer corresponds to this desirable condition and is overweight. The forecasts point to a further increase. The percentage of overweight people increases statistically with increasing age. Most overweight is found in the male age group of 60 to 69 year olds. For women, the highest percentage is in the age group from 70 years to 79 years.
The distribution of body fat is also important and is different for most women and men. In men, so-called belly fat forms more quickly. On the other hand, the increase in body fur in the area of the buttocks and thighs occurs primarily in women.
The importance of body weight is also shown strongly in the economic area, for example. Countless diet offers and fitness studios are dedicated to this topic.
Possible causes for an increase in body weight include:
- A diet that is too high in fat and sugar
- Insufficient exercise
- Diseases
- Taking medication such as cortisone
- Hormonal changes during menopause
- Genetic influences
- Prolonged stress
- Insufficient sleep prevents the release of appetite-suppressing hormones
- pregnancy
Appropriate consumption of calories and fat as part of the diet, as well as adequate exercise, help maintain or restore a healthy body weight.
Illnesses & ailments
The problem of obesity, which is dangerous to health, has emerged in recent decades, especially in the western industrialized countries. In addition, there are health impairments, usually in women, due to an excessive reduction in diet and even anorexia.
The health effects of being overweight over a long period of time can be diverse. They can affect numerous metabolic functions, the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system. It also increases the risk of cancer. The general performance, vitality and well-being are noticeably restricted.
A consequence of being overweight for a long time is painful back and joint problems. In addition to the complaints for those affected, there is also a risk of job loss.
Persistent, substantial obesity can also lead to diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Serious effects often arise in the emotional area of being very overweight. Drive disorders, a bad mood, loss of self-esteem or depression can occur.
Diets in which important nutrients are avoided for a long time can also have fatal consequences for overweight people. In addition, some dietary supplements are offered on a non-natural basis, which can be hazardous to health because they are not processed in the same way in the body.
