National Nutrition Month

*updated February 2019

How many times have you walked into a doctor’s office and come face-to-face with this chart?It happens to me all the time! And I check where I fall every time even though my weight and height has not changed. How much does all this matter to us in life?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI can be used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it is not diagnostic of the body fatness or health of an individual.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI can be used for population assessment of overweight and obesity. Because calculation requires only height and weight, it is inexpensive and easy to use for clinicians and for the general public. BMI can be used as a screening tool for body fatness but is not diagnostic.

In general

• At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men
• At the same BMI, older people, on average, tend to have more body fat than younger adults
• At the same BMI, athletes have less body fat than non-athletes

But the BMI chart doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to most of us. In fact, the body mass index itself was invented in the 1830s, so it seems it may have outgrown its utility. This is why here at Motivators we offer a large selection of items to help focus on healthy food choices rather than a number on a chart.

Here are a few items to promote National Nutrition Month:

If you are someone like me and you stare at your calendar nonstop, having a healthy eating calendar will keep you on track and remind you to be healthy.

What a better way to keep track of your food intake than by preparing your own lunch. Lunch prep is the biggest thing around currently because eating is as important as exercising.

Water, water, water! Roughly 60% of the body is made of water. Drinking enough water maintains the body’s fluid balance, which helps transport nutrients in the body, regulate body temperature, and digest food. The health authorities commonly recommend eight eight-ounce glasses, which equals about two liters (or half a gallon).

Pedometers are a super popular item that schools order to teach kids about health. We want to raise our kids to be more conscious of their health and learn how to keep track. With an activity tracker wristband, you can make fitness even more fun.

Many of the strategies that produce successful weight loss and maintenance will help prevent being overweight. Improving your eating habits and increasing physical activity play a vital role in staying on track. Call us today so we can help you help your customers stay healthy and promote National Nutrition Month!