National Know Your Numbers Week – How in the know are you?
The 18-24 September is National Know Your Numbers Week, a campaign created by Blood Pressure UK. Knowing your numbers will give you a reflection on your current health status and highlight any risks you may be vulnerable to, many of which you may be unaware of without a quick test.
How many of your numbers do you know?
- Body weight
2/3 adults in England are overweight or obese
- Body mass index
Being overweight increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Being just 10lbs overweight puts an extra 30-60lbs of pressure on your knees
- Resting heart rate
One average, on person dies every 3 minutes from cardiovascular disease in the UK
- Hip to waist ratio
Having an increased hip to waist ratio will put you at greater risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke
- Total body fat %
Approximately 1 in 11 deaths in the UK is linked to carrying excess fat
- Muscle mass %
A lack of muscle mass can increase the risk of middle-aged weight gain, diabetes and osteoporosis (decrease in bone density)
- Visceral fat rating
Having excess visceral fat (fat that can be sat around your heart) can lead to a greater risk of coronary heart disease, cancer and depression
- Blood glucose level
Approximately 500,000 adults in the UK are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes
- Cholesterol level
A raised cholesterol level increases the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women
- Lung function
A decrease in lung function and lung capacity is linked to an increased risk of heart health
- Blood pressure
30% of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, 50% are not receiving treatment
The above facts and statistics are just a small example of the risks involved with carrying unhealthy numbers. Many other health risks are increased in their likelihood of development. Monitoring your health statistics will put you in control, enabling you to improve any ailing health issues and reduce your chances of serious diseases or conditions in the future.
Are you included in or are you at risk of falling into these statistics?
- 66% of adults in England are overweight or obese
- Approximately 1 in 11 deaths in the UK is linked to carrying excess fat
- In the UK one person dies every 3 minutes from cardiovascular disease
- 40,000 deaths in the UK each year are caused by stroke
- 3.5 million UK adults have been diagnosed with diabetes – a further 500,000 have undiagnosed diabetes
- 30% of UK adults have high blood pressure – 50% are receiving no treatment
In order to establish healthy numbers, making the right lifestyle choices is vital.
Top tips for a healthy lifestyle:
- Eat whole food
- Cut down on sugar, salt and saturated fat
- Avoid processed food
- Drink no more than 4 cups of tea/coffee each day
- Eat regularly, leaving no more than 5 hours between meals or snacks
- Eat breakfast every day
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day
- Drink 2 litres of water each day
- Drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over at least 3 days with 2 consecutive alcohol free days
- Do 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, such as running or tennis every week, along with strength exercises on two or more days per week that work major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) (75 minutes or vigorous exercise can be replaced with 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, such as brisk walking)
- Aim for 7-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night
