A high BMI may qualify you for a Covid-19 vaccine. Here is how to check

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies obesity as an underlying medical condition and defines them as someone with a body mass index of 30 or more but less than 40. However, a high BMI does not mean not necessarily that you’re unhealthy.

Measuring your BMI is a quick, dirty way to indirectly measure how much fat is in your body. The CDC has created a calculator for children and adults to find their number.

Obesity also increases the risk of having a more severe reaction to Covid-19, he said.

According to Rosen, there are rare instances when a healthy person reports an unhealthy BMI. Weight trainers and people with athletic builds have a lot of muscle, which could create a high body mass index, said Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of nutrition and weight management at Boston Medical Center and professor. of Medicine and Pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine.

“A lot of soccer players have a BMI of 30, 35 or even 40, but they’re all muscular, so they’re extremely healthy,” Apovian said.

If you’re unsure whether your high body mass index is due to fat or muscle, Apovian recommended seeing a weight loss specialist for more specific testing.

How to lower your BMI index

It’s possible to lower your BMI through diet and exercise, Rosen said.

The first step is to understand that it is not your fault, he noted, and to take responsibility for your body.

Say to yourself, “I don’t know what caused this, but I’m going to do something,” he said.

Changing your diet is an important step in the weight loss process, Rosen pointed out. People should limit the amount of processed foods they eat and replace them with whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Mindful eating is another way to lose weight, said Dr. Robert Kushner, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. This is where people slow down when they eat and enjoy the food in front of them.

“It slows down, put your fork down… plan what you eat ahead of time and be aware of portion sizes,” Kushner said.

People should not go below 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day without permission from a weight loss specialist.

If you eat too much, Apovion has recommended creating a moderate calorie deficit to lower your BMI. People should start to lose around 1 to 2 pounds per week, which shows that your efforts are paying off.

The next step to lowering your BMI is to exercise.

About 150 minutes of exercise per week, which comes down to about 20 minutes of exercise per day, is a great way to reduce your body weight, Rosen said.

Apovian also recommended weight training at least twice a week because it helps build muscle which in turn helps burn fat.

Take walks out of the house, do virtual workouts, and hit the gym once it’s safe to do so, Rosen suggested.

For more extreme cases or general help, he stressed the importance of seeing a weight loss specialist.