Are You at a Healthy Weight for a Senior?

When the doctor tells you to lose weight, as a senior, you shouldn’t ignore it. As hard as it is to lose weight (and even more so when you’re older), it’s crucial to take action. The eating habits that you got away with in your 40s and 50s could put you at risk with age.

Almost all of the chronic diseases of aging can be avoided when you are at a healthy weight, including some cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia. If you want to live longer and age well, it’s ten times more important you get within a healthy weight range.

But take heart. We now know a lot more about what makes us gain and retain excess pounds. There are a variety of weight-loss programs that work. And new fitness trackers make it easier than ever to record food and activity. But let’s start at the beginning, learning what a healthy weight is for you.

How To Tell If You Are at a Healthy Weight

Your doctor has charts but you can calculate your BMI – Body Mass Index. BMI is used as a screening tool to tell if a person is underweight, overweight, obese or at a healthy weight for their height. This is important because if a person’s BMI is out of the healthy range, their health risks of death and disease increase significantly.

Calculate Your BMI: Metric Formula
Weight (kg) / Height (m2)

With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). Height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters.

For example, I am currently 5′ 6″ which is 1 meter and 67 centimeters. Square that number and divide into my weight in kg (51.5), and that gives me a BMI of 18.45.

Imperial BMI Formula
Weight (lbs.) * 703) / Height (inches)

When using pounds and inches, the formula needs to be altered slightly. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Divide that by your height in inches, squared.

BMI Chart for Healthy Weight

Find where you are on the chart and where you want to be. Calculate how much weight you need to lose to be in the healthy weight range.