You need to measure your blood pressure and BMI at regular interval to know your actual health conditions. These two utmost important general health screening procedures are described below:
Blood pressure (BP) is a measurement of the pressure in your arteries during the active and resting phases of each heartbeat. When your heart beats, it contracts and pushes blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. This force creates pressure on the arteries. This is called systolic blood pressure, the top number. The diastolic blood pressure number or the bottom number indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.
| Blood Pressure Category | Systolic mm Hg (upper #) | Diastolic mm Hg (lower #) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | <120 | <80 |
| Prehypertension | 120-139 | 80-89 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)Stage 1 |
140-159 | or 90-99 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 |
160 or higher | 100 or higher |
| Hypertensive Crisis (Emergency care needed) |
>180 | >110 |
It is very important to measure blood pressure regularly as high blood pressure is the silent killer. The first symptom of untreated high blood pressure may be a heart attack, stroke, or kidney damage. Even people with prehypertension are at a higher risk of developing heart disease.
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. Excess body fat is related to serious health conditions. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat.
The formula to calculate BMI is:BMI = mass(in kg)/height (in square metres) or
mass (in lb)/height (in square inches) x703
BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5;
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9;
Overweight = 25–29.9;
Obese = BMI of 30 or greater;
Overweight and obese individuals are at high risk for many diseases and health conditions, including high blood pressure, stoke, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, type 2 diabetes and cancers. However, BMI doesn’t consider bone or muscle mass. Thus it may overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit or inadequately evaluate health risks of people with excess abdominal fat. It may also underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass. Moreover, if you are of Asian descent, a BMI of 23 or higher may be risky for you. Consult your physians at those cases.