Achieve healthy weight

Achieve healthy weight

achieve healthy weight

For lot of reasons, it is a good idea to reach a healthy, ideal weight before you become pregnant — for both you and your baby.

Women who are obese before pregnancy are at double the risk of still births and death of newborns, compared with women of normal weight whereas underweight women have increased chance of delivering a low birth weight baby1.

So, if you are underweight, overweight or obese before you become pregnant, now is the time to address this issue. It is also much easier to maintain a healthy weight during your pregnancy if you are at a healthy weight to begin with.

Did You Know?

Maternal underweight & maternal
undernutriton can impact child’s long term health

  • A woman who is underweight before pregnancy and / or has poor food intake and gains inadequate weight during pregnancy
  • Deprives her baby of critical nutrients needed for optimal growth & development
  • The baby’s body responds and adapts to poor nutrition by reducing its growth rate and increasing fat stores in the body, to maximize his / her chances of survival after birth
  • The baby is born small with a lower birth weight and if he/she is exposed to a rich environment (e.g. a high calorie, high fat diet) in childhood and adulthood
  • Baby has an increased risk for developing heart disease and diabetes in adult life

1. Martin-Gronert, M.S., Ozanne, S.E. (2006) Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and health of the offspring.
Biochem Soc Trans, 34, 779-782

2. Gluckman, P.D., Hanson, M.A (2007) Developmental practicality and human disease: research directions. J Intern Med; 261(5):461-71

Determine your Ideal Body Weight (IBW)

To calculate your ideal body weight, use the following formula:
Height in cm-105 (For females)
For example, if your height is 160 cm. (160 cm – 105) = 55 kg
and hence your ideal body weight should be around 55 kg.

Know your current body weight status by calculating Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI = Weight (Kg)/ Height (m) X Height (m)
For example, if your current weight is 65 kg and you are
160 cm tall, Your BMI = 65 kg/1.6X1.6 m2 = 25.4 kg/m2

BMI classification

BMI1 (kg/m2) Body weight status
Underweight
18.0 – 22.9 Normal body weight
23.0 – 24.9 Overweight
25.0 and above Obese

If you are over weight or obese,
consult your dietitian to lose weight

1Misra et al. Consensus dietary guidelines for healthy living and prevention of obesity, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and related disorders in Asian Indians.Diabetes TechnolTher. 2011 Jun;13(6):683-94.

TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT TRY SOME OF THE TIPS BELOW

  • Have small frequent meals every 2 to 3 hours.
  • Include a wide variety of healthy foods like whole grains, pulses, dals, lean meat, poultry and oily fish, fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy foods.
  • Drink plenty of water and avoid fizzy drinks or pre-packaged fruit juices.
  • Practice healthy cooking methods such as grilling, steaming or boiling instead of frying or deep frying.
  • Include moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week such as walking, cycling, swimming or yoga with adequate exposure to sunlight for Vitamin D.