Get to know your ‘health’ numbers

ACCORDING to the most recent SA Demographic and Health Survey, released by Statistics SA last year, close to half of the participants aged older than 15 years were recorded as having high blood pressure.

Mark Arnold of Resolution Health says the same study also recorded BMI of most participants and found that one-third of men and two-thirds of women were categorised as being either overweight or obese.

‘This month, we are challenging the public to get to know their own blood pressure readings and BMI, and understand the health implications behind these numbers,’ he said.

‘We believe that such awareness can help people to more acutely appreciate the importance of embracing healthy behaviours and the relationship between lifestyle factors and overall wellness.

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What is BMI?

‘Body Mass Index (BMI) is a basic measure used to gauge whether a person is within the healthy weight range,’ says Dr Jacques Snyman, Director of Product Development at Agility Health.

To work out your BMI, first record your mass in kilograms and your height in metres.

• Divide your weight by your height (e.g. 65kg/1.5m = 43.3)

• Take the answer and divide it by your height again (e.g. 43.3/1.5 = 28.8)

• The answer is your BMI (e.g. 28.8 = overweight)

‘This measurement is not applicable to children, the elderly or athletes, and should be discussed with your general practitioner as there could be other clinical factors to be considered.

It does, however, provide an indication of whether an average adult has a healthy bodyweight,’ said Dr Snyman.

The ideal BMI would be between 18.5 and 25, while a BMI of between 25 and 30 indicates that the individual could be overweight.

A person with a BMI over 30 is usually considered obese.

Being overweight or obese is associated with a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer.

Understanding your blood pressure readings

Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, signifying systolic and diastolic pressure respectively.

A blood pressure test measures the pressure of your blood when your heart is pumping the blood into arteries as well as the resting pressure between heartbeats.

Blood pressure readings are expressed as systolic pressure, which is during a heartbeat, over diastolic pressure, after the heartbeat.

According to the Heart Foundation, optimal blood pressure reading for an adult, while at rest, are lower than 120mmHg for systolic pressure, and 80mmHg for diastolic pressure.

Readings in the normal range are between 120 and 129mmHg for systolic pressure, and 80 and 84mmHg for diastolic pressure.

People whose blood pressure exceeds 130mmHg/85mmHg are regarded as having elevated blood pressure and should discuss strategies for reducing their blood pressure with their general practitioner.

In many cases, dietary changes and exercise, as well as better management of daily stress, can assist in bringing slightly elevated blood pressure under control.

Unchecked, high blood pressure can cause kidney damage and visual impairment, and is a risk factor for stroke and heart attack.

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