With the unrealistic and specific expectations and views of society about ideal weight and body type, it is easy to sink down the hole of wondering if you are overweight and unideal. Having so many parameters to consider and look at does not make the process any easier, especially considering that all bodies are different and carry weight differently. It is important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as a normal weight for age because people of the same age can be at different developmental stages. Do not take into consideration the average weight of people your age to see if you are an ideal weight. If you feel like you are overweight but are struggling to answer the question “Am I overweight for my age?” with surety then you can look at some standardized ways of determining your weight bar and look at whether you feel the symptoms that a person who is overweight would generally feel instead of speculating.
Yes, there are some symptoms that you can develop if you are overweight and carry that weight in an unhealthy way. Let’s take a look at some of the standardized tests and how they distribute weight categories, along with taking a look at some ways in which being
overweight impacts your body.

STANDARDIZED CALCULATORS TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT

Searching the internet for an “am I overweight calculator” or an “am I overweight test” will
bring you to a result page with thousands of calculators that claim to help you determine
the category you fall under as per your weight.
Out of these, it is important that you pick out a standardized calculator as these have been
scientifically developed and tested on thousands of people. The most popular and accurate
standardized test out of all is the BMI calculator.
Let’s take a look at what BMI is all about and how it distributes various weight ranges into
different categories.

BMI CALCULATOR: WHAT IT IS AND THE DIVISION OF WEIGHT INTO CATEGORIES

Also known as the Body Mass Index calculator, this test is used to determine whether your
weight is ideal for your height and stature. This test is standardized and the categories have

been established after extensive experimentation, making this one of the most accurate tests available. In order to calculate your BMI, you need to input your height and weight into an online calculator, which would then calculate your body mass index and provide you with a number. Using that number, go through the categories to see where you fit in.

The categories specified for BMI results are:
● If your BMI is below 18.5, you are underweight.
● If your BMI is between 18.5 – 24.9, you are a healthy weight.
● If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are overweight.
● If your BMI is 30 and above, you are obese.
● If your BMI is 40 or higher, you are severely obese.
Note: If your BMI is higher than 24.9, you are overweight.
You can calculate your BMI online and check this distribution to check whether you are
overweight.
BMI does not depend on gender and there is no division of the results based on average
normal weight for men and normal weight for women. It depends entirely on the
relationship between your weight and height.
You can also use certain other measures. Though these are less scientific, they have also
been used extensively by people to determine if they are overweight. One such method is
waist measurement. Let’s see what it entails.

THE METHOD OF WAIST MEASUREMENT

According to some people, including expert nutritionists, the best way to determine if you
are overweight or not is through waist measurement.
As per this method, a man who has a waist measuring greater than 40 inches would be
considered overweight and a woman with a waist measuring higher than 35 inches would be
considered overweight.

This method might be more convenient than calculating BMI and some other methods, but
there is not much that can be said about its reliability.
Another way, much more reliable than this, is to look at whether you have any of the
symptoms that are associated with being overweight.

DETERMINE IF YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT BY LOOKING AT THE SYMPTOMS

If you suspect that you are overweight and are suffering from some of the following
symptoms, you might be onto something:

● Achy joints: Excessive weight is often associated with arthritis or achy joints. Extra
weight can put extra pressure on your joints, making them hurt.
● Chronic fatigue: Excessive weight can put more pressure on your lungs, making you
feel more tired and lousy throughout the day.
● Snoring: If you snore, there is a possibility that you might be overweight. Excessive
weight around the neck can hinder your airway and make breathing difficult, leading
to snoring.

CONCLUSION

There are various methods you can use to answer the question of “Am I overweight for my
age?” but it is best to keep in mind that age has nothing to do with being overweight.
Use tools that will help you determine your ideal weight and whether you are overweight or
not based on your body composition and overall stature.
Don’t take quizzes and tests that have not been tested as they can push you down the
wrong path.