To start the year off right, pay close attention to these health numbers. Here are the five types of numbers everyone should know—and why.
- Blood Pressure – Your healthy target: 120/80 mm Hg or less
Why it matters: Your blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. If it’s too high, your heart has to work harder. Over time, high blood pressure can cause your heart to enlarge or weaken. This can lead to heart failure. High blood pressure can also narrow your arteries, which disrupts proper blood flow to your heart or brain and can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
- Blood Cholesterol – Your healthy target:
- Total blood cholesterol lower than 200 mg/dL
- LDL (Bad) cholesterol less than 100 mg/dL
- HDL (Good) cholesterol greater than 60 mg/dL
- Triglycerides – should be under 150 mg/dL
Why it matters: Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your body’s cells. It helps your body make important vitamins and hormones. But too much cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup inside your blood vessels. This sticky substance causes your arteries to harden and narrow, which limits blood flow. These blockages can create a heart attack or, if they’re located in the brain, a stroke.
- Fasting Blood Glucose – Your healthy target:
- Up to 100 mg/dL
- Levels of 100 to 125 mg/DL point to prediabetes
- Anything above 125 mg/DL falls into the diabetic range
Why it matters: Your body breaks down food into glucose, which cells absorb for energy. When this process goes awry, glucose builds up in the blood. Extra sugar in your bloodstream is a sign of diabetes, a disease that can harm every organ in your body, while also damaging nerves and blood vessels.
- Body Mass Index BMI – Your healthy target: 18.5 to 24.9
Why it matters: BMI is a weight-height calculation that can help determine if you’re overweight or obese. “Excess body fat increases your risk for a wide range of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea,” Dr. Heo says. A BMI over 30 is especially dangerous to your overall health.
- Waist Circumference – Your healthy target:
- Waist size greater than 35 inches for women
- Waist Size greater than greater than 40 inches for men is considered a health risk.
Why it matters: Measuring waist circumference is an important indicator of health risk. If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A higher waist size shows internal fat deposits, which can coat the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, increasing the risk of chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.