I'm overweight, but I work out regularly. Can I still be considered healthy?

You can be overweight and still be relatively fit. But it depends on whether the extra weight you carry is muscle or fat. If the extra pounds are muscle, your risk of disease is lower than if this weight is fat. If your extra weight is fat, you are at increased risk of many lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes and stroke — even if you exercise. The following Flab matrix gives a broad overview of the correlation between weight and body fat.



If you are under-weight and have medium body fat you need to remember, your weight is also important to your health. For example, if you're overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk of heart disease if you exercise — but you're still at increased risk of diabetes. Also, carrying extra kilos into your 40s and 50s may put you at increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease later in life — even if you have no other risk factors for these diseases. Still, it's important to remember that the number on the scale isn't the whole key to your fitness. Even thin people are at increased risk of heart disease if they're not active. Regular physical activity is an essential component to maintaining muscle and a healthy weight. Health experts recommend at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five or more days a week. To control your weight, increase the duration and intensity of your exercise, eat a healthy diet and cut back on your portions