Taking Stock

(Sally Squires' Lean Plate Club)

Tuesday, May 6, 2003; Page HE03

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Maybe you avoid mirrors. Or haven't been on the bathroom scale since New Year's Day. But just as spring is the season for housecleaning, so is it a great time to take stock of, well, you.

"Most people put on about three-quarters of a pound to a pound over the winter," says Thomas A. Wadden, director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. (Those with a BMI, or body mass index, of 30 or more gain about five pounds over the winter.)

Better to address the problem now before that small nudge upward becomes a permanent fixture, as it does for millions of Americans. Gaining a few pounds "is not insurmountable," Wadden says. "You can deal with that. And spring is a good time to do something about it."

Here are some devices for taking stock:

BATHROOM SCALE It remains an important way to determine body weight. Advantages: Ease, accessibility and usable in the privacy of your own home. Disadvantage: Don't get too hung up on the numbers, advises Tracy Sbrocco, associate professor of medical and clinical psychology at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Focus instead on body composition and healthy habits, says Sbrocco, who uses a combination of body weight and percentage of body fat to get a more complete assessment of people in her research program. Tip: For increased accuracy, keep the scale in the same spot and weigh yourself at the same time of day, wearing the same clothes or lack thereof.

BMI A calculation based on height and weight, the BMI is used as a screening tool to gauge overweight, obesity and the risk of complications. Advantages: One simple chart for men and women. A healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24; overweight, 25 to 29.9; obese, 30 or more. Calculate yours at http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ or download to your computer http://athin.nhlbi.nih.gov/bmi_palm.htm.

Drawbacks: The BMI may be a less accurate predictor for some ethnic groups, including those from India and Asia, as well as for muscular men who score 25 to 30 on the BMI chart. For example, some very fit professional athletes are overweight, if only by BMI's standards. Experts say that average Joes -- and Janes -- should not use this quirk to delude themselves into thinking they're over-muscled, not overweight. Tip: If you're in the overweight or obese ranges, check your blood sugar, cholesterol, trigylcerides and blood pressure to better assess your overall health status.

CALIPERS They look like a cross between kitchen tongs and a drafting tool and are designed to estimate percentage of body fat by pinching your bulges. Advantage: In hands of medical professionals, they can be fairly accurate. Disadvantages: Health club and home use is notoriously inaccurate, experts say. Also, the fatter you are, the more room for error, Wadden says.

PERCENT BODY FAT CALCULATOR Scientists use costly devices to measure body fat. You can do it at home with a bioelectric impedance device (priced at about $60 to $150) that is the size of your bathroom scale. (In fact, most home devices also double as bathroom scales.) Advantage: Tracking body fat can show that your workouts are building muscle, even if your weight stays steady. Healthy levels of fat are: up to 25 percent for women; up to 18 percent for men. Above 35 percent is considered obese for women; above 25 percent, obese for men . Disadvantage: Can become one more number to obsess about instead of focusing on healthy habits.

TAPE MEASURE Next to a full-length mirror, one of the simplest ways to take stock of your body. Advantages: Cheap, easy, quick. Disadvantage: May require help from someone else, depending on your size. Tip: Measure your waist at the navel. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says disease risks rise for women with waists greater than 35 inches; for men, greater than 40 inches. If a helper isn't available, use a mirror to make sure the tape is straight.

-- Sally Squires