What Is the Average American BMI?
Published by Dr. Venn-Watson
Dr. Eric Venn-Watson’s Highlights
It’s no secret that America is overweight, so much so that it has become a public health crisis. According to current health guidelines, the average U.S. adult weighs more than they should and has a body mass index (BMI) that places them firmly in the “overweight” range.
Even more alarming, it’s no longer only American adults with expanding waistlines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that childhood obesity is a significant problem, with nearly 20% of children and adolescents between the ages of two and 19 having an average BMI in the overweight range.
What Is the Average BMI of Americans?
BMI measures your height against your weight. A healthy BMI is between 18.5-24.9. Today, American women have BMIs of around 29.6, while American men have BMIs of around 29.1. BMIs between 25-29.9 are considered overweight. If you have a BMI of under 18.5, it is considered underweight.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, BMI has trended upward for at least two decades. Data collected from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys show that BMIs are increasing across all age groups, sexes, and races.
The prevalence of American obesity has led to increased health problems and a higher occurrence of health conditions that can contribute to mortality like:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
Being overweight increases the risk factors for developing these illnesses and affects our overall health.
How Can I Lower My BMI?
Lowering your body weight can help you avoid these health risks, improve your health, and maintain longevity. Here are several ways to achieve a better BMI and decrease your waist circumference.
Change Your Diet
The average American diet is filled with prepackaged and fast foods, sodium, and sugar. Weight management depends on your ability to eat nutrient-dense foods that help you lower your body fat and achieve your weight loss goals. Focusing on more whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein can help contribute to weight loss.
Move
Physical activity is an integral part of total healthcare. Aim for 150 minutes of heart-pumping resistance and cardiovascular activity per week to help you achieve a healthy weight and increase muscle mass.
Get Support
The journey to a healthier average weight can be a challenge. A support group of like-minded people can be helpful and encouraging as you work to change your body composition and become a healthier version of yourself.
Another practical option? A supplement to help support a healthy metabolism.
What Is Fatty15?
Fatty15 is a groundbreaking, award-winning, science-backed supplement with just one ingredient: FA15™, the pure, vegan-friendly version of C15:0.
What Is C15:0?
C15:0 is an odd-chain, saturated fatty acid that science supports as a newly recognized essential fatty acid. That means our bodies need it to stay healthy but can’t readily make it themselves. As such, we have to get it from our diets or through supplementation.
Foods That Contain C15:0
C15:0 is a macronutrient found only in trace amounts in whole dairy products, some fish, and plants. Why can’t you just eat more of these foods to get enough of this essential fatty acid? Increasing your whole dairy intake to levels necessary to get enough C15:0 would also result in an increase in calories, sugars and the unhealthy, even-chain saturated fats.
Fatty15 is a solution to help you get the C15:0 you need in a supplement that contains just one calorie and zero sugar.
Elevate your cells. Elevate your self.
What Does Fatty15 Do?
Fatty15 helps maintain your bodily health and wellness.* As we age, our cells don’t work as well as they used to, leading to unhealthy blood sugar levels, slower metabolism, and a higher risk of weight gain and obesity.
C15:0 (the only ingredient in fatty15) naturally binds to receptors found throughout our bodies, called PPARs (pronounced pee-pars), that help to regulate our metabolism, including cholesterol and glucose homeostasis.* This helps explain why daily fatty15 supplementation can help promote heart health.*
What About Other Fatty Acids?
You’re probably familiar with other fatty acid supplements, like omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (like fish oil supplements) offer some health benefits, but they have some potential side effects that are important to note:
- They oxidize. Oxidation of polyunsaturated fats is common. We know it as going rancid. Because omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats, many fish oil supplements you find on store shelves are already rancid.
- They can become toxic. The average dose of omega-3 is between 2,000 to 3,000mg per day. When tested against twelve different cell types at high doses, omega-3 was toxic to four of them.
- They’re fishy. In addition to fish burps, there are some questionable ingredients in some omega-3 supplements. These include blends of fish, preservatives, and filler ingredients to help protect against oxidation and make them more shelf-stable.
C15:0 is a sturdy fatty acid that doesn't oxidize, was found to be safe for 12 out of 12 of the cell types tested, and doesn’t leave you with fish breath. Just 100mg daily (the amount contained in each fatty15 capsule) can help support your health.
Want to learn more? Read more about how C15:0 compares to omega-3 here.
Lower Your BMI, Increase Your Health
Adult BMIs are rising, but you can take yourself out of the statistical “overweight” category and enjoy a lower body weight and improved health.
Fatty15 can help support your healthy weight journey safely and effectively with a pure, vegan-friendly, award-winning, once-daily C15:0 supplement.*
Sources:
Childhood Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC
National Health Statistics Reports, Number 122, December 20, 2018 | CDC
Eric Venn-Watson M.D.
CEO, Co-Founder
Senior Scientist, Co-Founder
Eric is a physician, U.S. Navy veteran, and Co-founder and COO of Seraphina Therapeutics. Eric served over 25 years as a Navy and Marine Corps physician, working with the special forces community to improve their health and fitness. Seraphina Therapeutics is a health and wellness company dedicated to advancing global health through the discovery of essential fatty acids and micronutrient therapeutics.
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