Weight Charts
It seems that we live in a society that is dominated by extremes when we look at the issue of weight. On the one hand we have messages about weight gain and obesity and on the other the controversial 'size zero' debate rages on. It's not surprising therefore that many of us are confused about what a healthy size and weight looks like.
As individuals we are often concerned about our weight because fashion trends and celebrities influence popular body-image ideals. But it is important to remember that these ideals do not necessarily represent healthy weight ranges.
As a rule of thumb people usually see an increase in body fat when they gain weight, and it is this weight gain that poses risks to health. However, not all weight gain represents excessive fat. Weight gain in bodybuilders, for example, is due to increases in muscle that is part of the body's lean mass, and there is no evidence that increased lean body mass is unhealthy. Similarly, weight gain during pregnancy is a natural and essential process for supporting the growth of the developing baby.
It seems that we live in a society that is dominated by extremes when we look at the issue of weight. On the one hand we have messages about weight gain and obesity and on the other the controversial 'size zero' debate rages on. It's not surprising therefore that many of us are confused about what a healthy size and weight looks like.
As individuals we are often concerned about our weight because fashion trends and celebrities influence popular body-image ideals. But it is important to remember that these ideals do not necessarily represent healthy weight ranges.
As a rule of thumb people usually see an increase in body fat when they gain weight, and it is this weight gain that poses risks to health. However, not all weight gain represents excessive fat. Weight gain in bodybuilders, for example, is due to increases in muscle that is part of the body's lean mass, and there is no evidence that increased lean body mass is unhealthy. Similarly, weight gain during pregnancy is a natural and essential process for supporting the growth of the developing baby.