Handout - Healthy Heart, Healthy Family, A CHW Manual

Let’s follow these steps to find out if you need to lose weight.

Learn if your weight is healthy.

Weigh yourself.
Use the BMI chart to find out whether your weight is in the healthy range for people your height.
- Find your weight on the top of the chart and circle it.
- Put your finger on the circled number, and lower your finger until you find the line that corresponds to your height.
- The shade of your square will show if your weight level is healthy, overweight, or obese.
My weight is:
- Healthy
- Overweight
- Obese

Measure your waist.

Measure your waist by placing the measuring tape snugly around your waist. A high waist measure increases your risk for heart disease.
Write down your waist measure:
Your waist measure is high if:
- Women–Your waist measure is greater than 35 inches (88 cm).
- Men–Your waist measure is greater than 40 inches (102 cm.
My waist measure is:
- Healthy
- High

Find out if you need to lose weight.
Check off your weight level below to find out if you need to lose weight.

Healthy Weight – Good for you! Try not to gain any weight.
Overweight – It is important not to gain more weight. You need to lose weight if you are overweight and have two or more heart disease risk factors or have a high waist measurement. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian for help.
Obese – You need to lose weight. Lose weight slowly – about 1 to 2 pounds a week. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian for help.

Information on this page is taken from the English print version of “Healthy Heart, Healthy Family: A Community Health Worker's Manual.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, NIH Publication No. 08-3674, Originally Printed 1999, Revised May 2008.

Last Updated March 2012

Session 6 Handout Do You Need To Lose Weight?

Let’s follow these steps to find out if you need to lose weight.