The benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight go far beyond looking and feeling good. By losing or maintaining a healthy weight, you’re also likely to improve the overall quality of your life. While your weight should not define you, it’s no secret that there are many benefits to keeping a healthy weight. Unfortunately, several health risks are associated with being overweight.
But whatever your goal is, weight loss is certainly important for your health.
What is body mass index?
Body mass index is a tool used to determine someone’s weight status (e.g., underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity). BMI does not calculate body fat directly; it’s used as an estimate.
Screening for excess weight is important because having too much fat in our bodies increases our risk for certain diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that there are several risks associated with excess weight. These include:
- Joint and muscle pains
- Energy problems
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Sleep problems
- Blood clots and stroke
- Fertility problems
- Erectile dysfunction in males
- Several types of cancers (e.g., colon, kidney, esophagus, endometrium, and breast cancer)
- Complications in pregnancy and childbirth
- Complications in surgeries
Why is weight loss important?
Even a small amount of weight loss (5 pounds) can lower your risk of health problems related to being overweight. If you are overweight, losing weight can have the following benefits:
- Improved joint and muscle pain
- Improved energy and ability to join desired activities
- Improved blood pressure
- Better sleep
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower risk of heart attack or stroke
- Lower cholesterol
- Improved blood sugar levels or prevents type 2 diabetes
- Longer lifespan
Do you need weight-loss medication?
If you’ve made changes to the way you eat and have increased your physical activity but still struggle to lose weight, BIFAT Clinic may have a weight-loss medication option for you.
You can work with our healthcare provider to see if semaglutide is right for you in addition to lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and exercise.
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