Why is weight management important?
Being overweight increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and your risk of developing diabetes. If you are very overweight (obese), your risk is higher. However, even small amounts of weight loss can bring significant benefits to your health. You should aim to lose weight gradually, by changing your eating habits and increasing your physical activity.
Health benefits from weight loss
If overweight, benefits from losing weight include:
- Lowering your blood pressure
- Improving your cholesterol level
- Improving your blood glucose (sugar) control
- Lowering your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Achieving your target weight might take time
To lose weight and maintain a healthy weight in the long term, you should avoid fad or crash diets. Set a realistic goal – aim to reduce your weight by ½kg to 2kg per month. It may not sound much, but slow changes make it easier to keep the weight off.
Look at your eating patterns
Gradually change your eating habits to a heart-healthy dietary pattern:
- Eat more coloured vegetables and fruit in place of other foods.
- Eat fewer foods rich in fats, especially butter, meat and dairy fats, deep fried foods, pastries and sweet bakery items.
- Eat fewer foods and drinks rich in added sugars – soft drinks, sweets, desserts and bakery items.
- If you occasionally eat high-fat or high-sugar foods, choose small portions.
- Choose breads, cereals and grains and have enough whole grains to feel full.
- Eat plenty of dried peas (eg, chickpeas), beans (eg, red kidney beans), and fish.
Increase your physical activity
Try for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day of the week. Remember, any physical activity is better than none, so get started now.
If you are having trouble losing weight or are gaining weight over time, talk to your doctor, nurse or health professional about seeing a dietitian.
Am I a healthy weight?
One of the main ways this is determined is by body mass index (BMI), which uses your height in metres and your weight in kilograms to calculate your BMI.
Table of body mass index (BMI)
|
Under-weight |
Healthy |
Over-weight |
Obese |
| NZ European |
Less than 18.5 |
18.5 to 25 |
25 to 30 |
Greater than 30 |
| Maori/ Pacific Islanders |
Less than 18.5 |
18.5 to 26 |
26 to 32 |
Greater than 32 |
Waist circumference should ideally be less than 90cm for women and less than 100cm for men.
Check out other risk factors
See the links below for more information on tackling the individual risk factors you may need to address to have a healthy heart and cardiovascular system, remembering that they all work together to affect your risk level.
Also see: Know Your Numbers Heart Age Calculator
Do you need a heart risk assessment?
Original material provided by the Heart Foundation of New Zealand and the New Zealand Guidelines Group. Reviewed by everybody, February 2011.
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