|
Factor
|
Goal
|
|
Total Cholesterol
|
Less than 200 mg/dL
|
|
LDL "bad" cholesterol
|
LDL cholesterol goals vary.
Optimal:
Less than 100 mg/dL
Near Optimal/Above Optimal:
100 to 129 mg/dL
Borderline High:
130 to 159 mg/dL
High:
160 to 189 mg/dL
Very High:
190 mg/dL and above
|
|
HDL "good" cholesterol
|
50 mg/dL or higher
|
|
Triglycerides
|
Less than 150 mg/dL
|
|
Blood pressure
|
Less than 120/80 mmHg
|
|
Fasting glucose
|
Fasting glucose
|
|
Body Mass Index (BMI)
|
Less than 25 Kg/m2
|
|
Waist Circumference
|
Less than 35 inches
|
|
Exercise
|
Minimum of 30 minutes most days, if not all days of the week
|
To calculate your personal Body Mass Index (BMI), use this formula:
BMI = weight in pounds/(height in inches squared) x 703
Underweight: Below 18.5 BMI
Normal: 18.5-24.9 BMI, waist circumference 32 inches or less
Overweight: 25.0-29.9 BMI, waist circumference 32.5 inches or more
Obesity: 30.0 and above BMI, waist circumference 36.6 inches or more
This index may not be completely accurate as it does not account for muscle weight in athletes, or those who have experienced loss of muscle.
To accurately obtain your waist circumference:
Use a flexible measuring tape and place it snugly around your waist, as this will show the amount of abdominal fat, which indicates risk for heart disease. Your risk for cardiovascular disease increases for those women with a waist measurement over 35 inches.
From the American Heart Association