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Know Your Numbers
Why should I know my numbers?
Your risk for heart disease and stroke can be assessed by knowing your numbers for body composition, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and blood sugar and by understanding what they mean.
Body composition tests
Your body is made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, and various vitamins and minerals. If you have too much fat -- especially in your waist area -- your risk for heart disease and stroke is higher.
Body mass index
Body mass index (BMI*) is a measure of a person's body fat based on height and weight. BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose body fatness or health of an individual.
| BMI less than 18.5 | Underweight |
| BMI 18.5 - 24.9 | Healthy |
| BMI 25.0 - 29.9 | Overweight |
| BMI 30.0 or more | Obese |
*BMI scale is for adults (18+).
Waist circumference
Waist circumference can be measured in a few simple steps:
- Stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hipbones
- Make sure the tape measures is snug, but not compressing your skin;
- Breathe out and measure your waist.
A high-risk waistline is defined as more than 35 inches (88 cm) for women, and more than 40 inches (102 cm) for men.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all parts of your body. It is coated with a layer of protein to make a “lipoprotein” that can travel through the blood. There are two types of cholesterol:
LDL (low density lipoprotein) carries most of the cholesterol in the blood. When there is too much in the blood, it can lead to a cholesterol buildup in the arteries. This is why LDL cholesterol is called the “bad” cholesterol.
HDL (high density lipoprotein) helps remove cholesterol from the blood and helps prevent the fatty buildup. HDL cholesterol is called the “good” cholesterol.
Desirable Cholesterol Numbers for Adults
| Total Cholesterol | Less than 200 mg/dL |
| LDL “bad” cholesterol | Less than 100 mg/dL |
| HDL “good” cholesterol | Greater than or equal to 60 mg/dL |
| Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL |
NOTE: These categories apply to adults age 20 and above.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. They’re also present in blood plasma and, in association with cholesterol, form the plasma lipids.
Triglycerides in plasma are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from other energy sources such as carbohydrates. Calories ingested in a meal and not used immediately by tissues are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored.
Excess triglycerides in plasma are called hypertriglyceridemia. It’s linked to the occurrence of coronary artery disease in some people. Elevated triglycerides may be a consequence of other diseases, such as untreated diabetes mellitus. As with cholesterol, increases in triglyceride levels can be detected by plasma measurements. These measurements should be made after an overnight food and alcohol fast.
| Normal | Less than 150 mg/dL |
| Borderline high | 150 - 199 mg/dL |
| High | 200 - 499 mg/dL |
| Very high | 500mg/dL and above |
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood as it moves through the blood vessels. If blood cannot flow easily through the vessels, the force increases. If the force is too great, you have high blood pressure.
The higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart is beating. The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart is resting between beats. The systolic pressure is always stated first and the diastolic pressure second.
| Blood Pressure Category | SYSTOLIC mm Hg (upper number) | and/or | DIASTOLIC mm Hg (lower number) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Normal |
LESS THAN 120 |
and |
LESS THAN 80 |
|
Elevated |
120 - 129 |
and |
LESS THAN 80 |
|
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 |
130 - 139 |
or |
80 – 89 |
|
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 |
140 OR HIGHER |
or |
90 OR HIGHER |
|
Hypertensive Crisis (consult your doctor immediately) |
HIGHER THAN 180 |
and/or |
HIGHER THAN 120 |
Fasting Blood sugar
Diabetes is a chronic health condition in which the level of glucose in the blood -- called blood sugar -- is too high, which can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Normally, the body gets its energy from blood sugar, which comes from food.
This test measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast (not eating). A fasting blood sugar level of 99 mg/dL or lower is normal, 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates you have prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.
| Old Monitor (It does not check plasma glucose levels.) |
New Monitor (It checks plasma glucose levels.) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Before meals | 80 – 120 mg/dL | 90 – 130 mg/dL |
| At bedtime | 100 – 140 mg/dL | 110 – 150 mg/dL |
Your blood sugar goals may be different from these ideal goals. Ask your health care provider what goals are best for you.
For a healthy heart, try to live by these numbers:
| Blood pressure | Less than 120/80 | |
| BMI | Less than 25 | |
| Total cholesterol | Less than 200 mg/dL | |
| LDL | Less than 100 mg/dL | |
| HDL | Above 40 mg/dL | |
| Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL | |
| Normal blood sugar | 60 - 99 mg/dL | |
| Waist circumference | ||
| Men | Less than 40 inches | |
| Women | Less than 35 inches | |
