Body Composition: BMI, Metabolic Rate & Fat Metabolism

Body composition analysis relies on BMI calculation, understanding BMR/RMR standards, and identifying the biochemistry behind fat metabolism and lipolysis.

old woman standing on weight scale in living room

Ideal Weight for Women Over 60

There isn't one weight that's ideal for every woman over age 60. What a woman should weigh depends on a number of factors, including her height and frame size. It's also possible to be of a normal weight but have a high of body fat percentage, which can sometimes happen as women get older and lose muscle mass.

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Weighing

How Bad Is a BMI of 34.7?

Doctors use body mass index, or BMI, to help determine who is overweight or obese. Although it isn't a perfect measurement, it is free and easy to calculate so it is good for screening patients. If you have a high BMI, you are considered obese, which puts you at higher risk for a number of health conditions.

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Normal Height & Weight for a School-Age Child

Approximately 17 percent of children qualify as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity puts your child at an increased risk for health problems such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

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Ideal Weight Calorie Calculator

Both your weight and body composition are important for good health. No ideal body weight exists for anyone, but rather there is a range of acceptable weights for any given height. A doctor can advise you on whether you're at a healthy weight or have an increased risk of obesity-related health problems.

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The Ideal Water Weight for a Woman's Body

Water is important for regulating body temperature, cushioning your joints, strengthening your muscles, providing moisture for your skin and other tissues, and for carrying nutrients to your cells.

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Pre teen

Average Adolescent BMI

Body mass index, a measurement calculated using height and weight, is often used to help determine if someone is overweight, underweight or at a healthy weight.

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Body fat loss monitor

How Does a Handheld BMI Machine Work?

If you're concerned about your body fat levels, you have a few options that could help you figure out where on the scale from "healthy" to "obese" you are. Body mass index, or BMI, gives you a very rough estimate of whether you're at a healthy weight or not.

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How Many Calories Does It Take to Maintain 170 Pounds?

The number of calories it takes to maintain your body weight depends on a variety of different factors, including age, gender, body composition and activity level. You can use a general formula to get an estimate, and then modify your calorie consumption based on whether your weight changes or stays the same.

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The Average Weight & Height for Girls

The average height and weight for girls vary by age. A girl whose measurements vary from the average isn't necessarily unhealthy, however. Body mass index, or BMI, calculated from a girl's height and weight can be used to determine whether she's at a healthy weight for her height.

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How Does a Scale Measure Body Fat?

While you can hardly turn on the television or open a magazine without reading about the dangers of obesity, your body fat percentage -- the amount of your weight that comes from fat vs. lean mass -- is actually a better look at your disease risk.

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The Average Lean Body Mass

The more lean body mass you have, the higher your metabolism is likely to be. Having a healthy percentage of lean body mass may make you less likely to become sick or to develop health problems such as heart disease or diabetes.

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Healthy Body Fat Percentage for a Teenage Girl

Adolescent obesity poses a public health risk and, as of 2012, more than 20 percent of teenagers were obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some teenage girls may suffer from body image problems and believe they are overweight, even if they're not.

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What Happens When Your Body Fat Drops Low?

Although it's more common in the United States to have too much body fat than too little, make sure you don't go too far in your weight-loss efforts. If your body fat drops too low, it can have health consequences, just as when your body fat is too high.

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Is There an Ideal Weight for an 18-Year-Old?

Teenagers develop at different rates and can have widely differing heights by the age of 18, so you won't find an ideal weight for every 18-year-old. It's possible, however, to determine a range of healthy weights for those at this age based on height and gender.

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How to Calculate BMI Using Waist and Hip Measurements

You can't actually calculate your body mass index, or BMI, using your waist and hip measurements. These two measurements are used to calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, or WHR, which can be helpful for determining whether you're carrying your weight in a healthy way.

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The Average Weight for Men Based on Height

The average weight for men of different heights varies by country, and the average isn't necessarily a healthy weight. Two men of the same weight and height may also look very different, depending on how much of their weight comes from muscle versus from fat.

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