Body Mass Index or BMI
BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.
For more information click below
From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/
From the Alabama Department of Public Health
http://www.adph.org/obesity/index.asp?id=1994
Blood Pressure
About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has HBP. The condition itself usually has no signs or symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, HBP can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.
Knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you're feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, treatment may help prevent damage to your body's organs.
For more information click below
From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/
From the Alabama Department of Public Health
http://www.adph.org/cvh/Default.asp?id=5003
Blood Glucose and Diabetes
Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, a serious disease in which blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are above normal. Most people with diabetes have type 2, which used to be called adult-onset diabetes. At one time, type 2 diabetes was more common in people over age 45. But now more young people, even children, have the disease because many are overweight or obese.
Diabetes can lead to problems such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney disease, and nerve damage. About one-third of people with type 2 diabetes do not even know they have it. Many people do not find out they have diabetes until they are faced with problems such as blurry vision or heart trouble. That’s why you need to know if you are at risk for diabetes.
For more information click below
National Diabetes Education Program
http://ndep.nih.gov/index.aspx
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/
From the Alabama Department of Public Health
http://www.adph.org/diabetes/
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs. But when you have too much in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages. This can lead to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
There are two kinds of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is also called "good" cholesterol. LDL is called "bad" cholesterol. When we talk about high cholesterol, we are talking about "bad" LDL cholesterol.
For more information click below
From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbc/+
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/features/CholesterolAwareness/
From the Alabama Department of Public Health
http://www.adph.org/CVH/
