Staying Healthy In Body And Mind:

Nutrition, Diet And Body Image

HOW MUCH WEIGHT IS TOO MUCH WEIGHT?

Being overweight is caused by eating too much and not exercising enough – not because of puberty. A good way to find out if you are a healthy weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI) method.

But what does your BMI mean?

A healthy BMI for an iTaukei is between 20.5 and 27, and for a Fijian of Indian descent is between 18.5 and 25. If your BMI is less than this, you are considered underweight. If your BMI is greater than this range, you are considered overweight.

Your BMI is equal to your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height squared (in metres): BMI = weight (kg) / (height x height) (m)

Mere is 65kg and is 1.72m tall. What is her BMI?

BMI = weight (65kg) / height2 (1.72 x 1.72) or BMI = 65/2.9584

Mere’s BMI is therefore 21.97.

Body image is all about how you view your physical self – including whether you feel you are attractive and whether others like your looks. For example, many girls dream of having a slim figure, but no girl is made the same. This might mean some girls are dissatisfied with the way they look, and feel unhappy when they look in the mirror.

When you begin to go through puberty, your body changes and you will gain weight in different areas, including your hips and abdomen. This is completely normal; however, different people will put on weight in different places.

Healthy Eating
It is important for your health to eat well. For tips, information and healthy recipies, check out the awesome new Khana Kakana cookbook, published by the Ministry of Health. Get your online copy of the Khana Kakana cookbook at For Educators Life EventsSaving & SpendingCredit & Debt

Being overweight or underweight is not healthy. Eating balanced meals and exercising will improve your weight and will also help you to feel good about yourself. Eating a balanced meal will also ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Tip:
Try not to eat a lot of junk food such as chips, biscuits, ice cream,sugary coffee or tea, or drinks suck as fizzy juice. these are full of saturated fats and sugar, and are not healthy for you.

Tip:
Stay active the more sport you play the healthier you will be.

Tip:
For information and advice on exercise or nutrition, visit your nearest health centre or NCD Wellness Centre, Namosi House, Suva.