Wellness

Did You Know?

In 2003, 90% of Scottsdale residents ranked their health as good, very good or excellent.

In Reality . . .
54% were actually overweight or obese and only 36% exercised more than 3 hours per week.

Make sure you and your family take the right steps to living a healthy, active lifestyle and reduce your risk of future health complications!

Some Tips:

• Eat breakfast everyday
• Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, at least 5 days a week
• Eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
• If you smoke, quit smoking
• Wear sunscreen every day
• Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night

For information on health screenings, visit www.ScottsdaleHealthcare.com.

What IS Healthy?
Healthy individuals come in all shapes and sizes and while 69% of Scottsdale residents think they're in very good to excellent health, we can always find new ways to live a more healthy and productive life. Use some of the tools below to determine health parameters and work with your doctor before making changes in your lifestyle to be more healthy. Resources throughout Scottsdale are available to help you get started, on whatever improvements you choose to make!

Measuring Body Mass Index (BMI) in Adults
Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating weight status in adults. It is a measure of weight for height. For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:

Adult BMI Calculator
Child & Teen BMI Calculator
Note: BMI for Children and Teens is based on gender and age specific charts, also called BMI-for-Age.

BMI correlates with body fat. The relation between fatness and BMI differs with age and gender. For example, women are more likely to have a higher percent of body fat than men for the same BMI. On average, older people may have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI.

How does BMI relate to health? The BMI ranges are based on the effect body weight has on disease and death. As BMI increases, the risk for some disease increases. Some common conditions related to overweight and obesity include:

• Premature death
• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Osteoarthritis
• Some cancers
• Diabetes

BMI is only one of many factors used to predict risk for disease. BMI cannot be used to tell a person if he/she has a disease such as diabetes or cancer. It is important to remember that weight is only one factor that is related to disease.

BMI is not the only indicator of health risk. BMI is just one of many factors related to developing a chronic disease (such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes). Other factors that may be important to look at when assessing your risk for chronic disease include:

• Diet
• Physical Activity
• Waist Circumference
• Blood Pressure
• Blood Sugar Level
• Cholesterol Level
• Family History of disease

All persons who are obese or overweight should try not to gain additional weight. In addition, those who are obese or who are overweight with other risk factors should consider losing weight. A complete health assessment by a physician is the best way to decide the right steps for you.

BMI is only one piece of a person's health profile. It is important to talk with your doctor about other measures and risk factors. to see if you are at an increased risk for disease and if you should lose weight. Even a small weight loss (just 10% of your current weight) may help to lower the risk of disease. Physical activity and good nutrition are key factors in leading a healthy lifestyle and reducing risk for disease.

Want to learn more? Visit Scottsdale Healthcare for a comprehensive Body Composition Analysis.

Body Composition Analysis quickly and accurately provides a detailed body composition analysis which includes weight, body fat percentage, body mass index, fat mass, fat-free mass and hydration status.

Body Composition Analysis allows you to fully understand what makes up your total body weight so that you can better assess your health and physical condition.

For screening dates, times and locations please call 480-882-4636.

Take Action

If your BMI puts you in the overweight or obese category, consider Scottsdale Healthcare's Active Living Program, which is designed to help participants reach and maintain a healthy range BMI of 19-25, increase participants daily step count, increase participants' fruit and vegetable consumption, and encourage use of proper sun protection everyday.

Each participant tracks their progress in this self-paced, 12-week walking and nutrition program in their Active Living booklet and at weekly, self-directed group meetings. Participants are encouraged to set new personal activity and nutrition goals each week. The program coordinator may provide individual feedback on progress, organize a community walk or hike, help with goal setting and provide motivational talks covering a broad range of topics.

For more information contact: wellness@fitcityscottsdale.org

Photo ©Jeff Noble