Are you FATTER than you think? Like millions, these five people don't realise just how overweight they are - or the risks to their health

With the festive season over, many of us are planning to turn over a new leaf and shed a few pounds this year with diet and exercise.

And new research suggests that when it comes to weight, Britain is in dire need of a reality check.

A Bupa study published last week found that four in ten obese people consider themselves a ‘healthy’ size, and too many of us are ‘blissfully unaware’ of the true impact our lifestyles are having on our health.

Experts called for better education about weight and the host of diseases that being overweight is linked to, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia.

So, are you fatter than you think?

We put five people to the test. Like many, they didn’t think their weight was a serious problem. So we checked their dimensions as well as giving them standard health checks. Chris Jones, head of physiology at Nuffield Health, where the tests were carried out, then analysed the results. Each underwent the following tests:

Body Mass Index (BMI): This measurement is used to assess whether you’re underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese for your height. A healthy BMI is between 18 and 25;  25 to 30 is overweight and 30 or above obese.

Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR): Too much fat around the middle is strongly linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer — that’s why being an apple shape (with a chunky waist) is more unhealthy than being a pear shape (where the weight sits on the hips and thighs).

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2081484/Are-FATTER-think-These-people-dont-realise-just-overweight-are.html#ixzz1laNkTVv4 

Posted in: Fitness