| tion_start --> | | | | BMI looks at the ratio between your weight and |
| With winter fast receding for another year, the | | | | height to assess what your body weight should |
| approaching summer brings with it the promise of | | | | be. The guide can then be used to establish |
| longer evenings, warm sunshine and an | | | | whether an individual is of 'normal' weight or not; |
| opportunity for the kids to escape the confines of | | | | but there have been numerous debates as to |
| the home and emerge to enjoy playing outside | | | | whether BMI is an accurate assessment of health |
| during the long summer nights. | | | | relating to weight as not everyone can agree on |
| However, with the advances in digital | | | | the point when someone becomes 'healthy' or |
| entertainment and coupled with the fears faced | | | | 'unhealthy'. With confusion about what you should |
| by parents in letting their children play outside | | | | eat or how much you should weigh, are we |
| unsupervised, many youngsters will spend the | | | | becoming a society obsessed with image or the |
| coming evenings in front of the television or video | | | | possibility of a health crisis when our indulgencies |
| games console rather than running amok outside | | | | finally catch up with us? |
| with their friends. This alarming reluctance to | | | | For providers of healthcare, these life style trends |
| venture outdoors to play tag, hide and seek, | | | | can cause concern. If the NHS is struggling to |
| cowboys and Indians or the current game of | | | | cope with the illnesses of an active generation, |
| choice is being widely attributed to the rising tide | | | | how will it cope with the consequences of the |
| of obesity in our youngsters. | | | | current sedentary generation? Some private |
| So far this year, the media have highlighted this | | | | medical insurance providers have jumped on the |
| topic by reporting on health risks involved in being | | | | bandwagon and reward those members who lead |
| overweight - not just in children, but also in adults. | | | | a healthy life style or have a 'normal' BMI by |
| Individuals who are classed as obese have a much | | | | offering a discount on their premiums. |
| higher chance of developing life changing diseases | | | | Alternatively, loadings can occur if your life style is |
| such as diabetes, heart disease and osteoarthritis, | | | | not so healthy or your BMI a little higher than |
| to name just a few. Also, from the opposite end | | | | necessary. |
| of the range, these obesity reports are coupled | | | | But if the experts can't agree on what your BMI |
| with the recent 'size zero' outcry that has | | | | should be how can your private medical insurance |
| inundated our celebrity-obsessed culture. However, | | | | provider be so certain? Health-on-Line, for |
| both extremes court numerous health risks and | | | | example have recognised this confusion and have |
| the current buzzword to assess whether you are | | | | removed the questions relating to height and |
| 'too skinny' or 'too fat' is BMI - Body Mass Index. | | | | weight from their application process. |