Medical-Fitness Technician
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Certification Course
Part C: Assessing Medical-Fitness
Learning Modules: 25-34
Learning Module 28:
Health Risk Analysis
Health Risk Analysis
Study the Learning Module and take the Quiz.
Learning Objectives:
- Accurately determine weight-related health risk.
- Accurately determine a healthy target weight.
- Determine the number of pounds overweight.
- Determine duration of a weight-loss program with a goal date.
1. Weight-Related Health Risk
Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist:Height Ratio (WHR) are valid measurements of an individual's weight-related health risks when used together in order to distinguish excess weight as either fat or muscle.
- BMI's greater than 25 are associated with increasingly severe health risks, including: heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and many forms of cancer, especially colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
- Since BMI is based solely on Height & Weight measurements, and not on body composition (percent body fat, %BF) which is the true predictor of health risk for chronic disease, BMI's are only valid for 75% of the adult population.
- Waist:Height Ratios greater than 0.5 usually validates the weight-related health risks based on BMI, because it indicates the excess weight is probably due to excess fat rather than muscle.
- Excess abdominal fat (WHR > 0.5) is an independent risk factor for chronic disease.
- About 15% of invalid BMI's indicate a LOW health risk when in reality excess fat weight is "hidden," because the person has an inadequate amount of muscle weight. This condition is known as "skinny-fat," which has an increased risk of chronic disease.
- About 10% of invalid BMI's indicate an increased risk when in fact the "excess" weight (BMI >25) is due to extra muscle, which decreases the health risk for chronic disease rather than increasing it.
- Fitness Tests are powerful tools to identify which individuals are healthy or unhealthy regardless of body Weight, BMI, or WHR. Fitness tests will also determine an appropriate training program for unhealthy individuals to increase muscle mass, reduce fat weight, and improve cardiovascular fitness for preventing or even reversing chronic disease, reducing health risks, and achieving optimal health.
If your client's BMI places him/her in the Healthy Weight category, but their WHR is in the Overweight or Obese category, their body composition is probably unhealthy with too much abdominal fat and not enough muscle.
If your client's WHR category matches his/her BMI category, their BMI & WHR are probably valid weight-related health risk indicators, and you can use the BMI chart to determine a Healthy Weight Range specific to their Height and Gender.
If your client's BMI places him/her in the Overweight or Obese category, but their WHR is in the Healthy Weight or Overweight category, their "excess" weight is probably due to having more muscle than the average person of his/her height and weight - making their BMI invalid as a health risk indicator. In this type of case, disregard the client's BMI and use their WHR alone to determine their weight-related health risk.
If your client's WHR category matches his/her BMI category, their BMI & WHR are probably valid weight-related health risk indicators, and you can use the BMI chart to determine a Healthy Weight Range specific to their Height and Gender.
If your client's BMI places him/her in the Overweight or Obese category, but their WHR is in the Healthy Weight or Overweight category, their "excess" weight is probably due to having more muscle than the average person of his/her height and weight - making their BMI invalid as a health risk indicator. In this type of case, disregard the client's BMI and use their WHR alone to determine their weight-related health risk.
2. Healthy Target Weight
A healthy target weight can easily be determined for an average client by using the BMI Chart.
A healthy target weight can easily be determined for an average client by using the BMI Chart.
- Find the Healthy Weight Range for the client's height. Example: 5' 8" = 138-164 pounds
- 5'8" Male clients should be in the mid to upper part of the Healthy Weight Range for a BMI of 23-25. Example: 151-164 pounds
- 5'8" Female clients should be in the mid to lower part of the Healthy Weight Range for a BMI of 21-23. Example: 138-151 pounds
- For your client's weight to truly be healthy, it needs to be composed of mostly lean body mass (muscles, bones, organs, and connective tissues), and of less fat.
Generally Healthy Anthropometric Targets:
- BMI: Male < 25, Female = < 30
- WHR: Male < 0.48, Female < 0.45
- %BF: Male 10-15%, Female = 20-25%
3. Weight Loss Formula's
If your client has a validated BMI+WHR that puts them in the Overweight or Obese categories, it is very helpful to spend a little extra time with him/her to explain their situation in more detail and explain their options.
The bad news is your client's excess fat weight puts them at increased risk for chronic disease, but the good news is obesity and its related health risks are reversible using clinically proven therapeutic lifestyle therapies that are safe and effective. Most people can lose 0.5 to 1.0 pound per week (2-4 pounds per month) by implementing a simple and gradual nutrition and exercise program for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and body composition.
The bad news is your client's excess fat weight puts them at increased risk for chronic disease, but the good news is obesity and its related health risks are reversible using clinically proven therapeutic lifestyle therapies that are safe and effective. Most people can lose 0.5 to 1.0 pound per week (2-4 pounds per month) by implementing a simple and gradual nutrition and exercise program for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and body composition.
Instead of setting a huge, never-before-achieved goal for your client, such as: "You need to lose 100 pounds and then keep it off!" Most people can visualize a reasonable health and fitness program in which they make enough simple (and permanent) lifestyle changes to lose 2-4 pounds per month for 1-3 years, and then naturally (almost effortlessly) keep the weight off, because they will have personally developed a healthy lifestyle involving proper nutrition and regular exercise for themselves -- not some "expert's" diet plan.
Use the BMI Chart above and the Sample Client's anthropometrics below to confirm the answers of questions A-D.
Sample Client: Female, Ht = 5'4", wt = 168 pounds, BMI = 29, WHR = 0.57
A. For your client's Height and Gender, how much should she weigh to have a healthy BMI?
B. How many pounds over her Goal Weight does your client currently weigh?
Sample Client: Female, Ht = 5'4", wt = 168 pounds, BMI = 29, WHR = 0.57
A. For your client's Height and Gender, how much should she weigh to have a healthy BMI?
- Healthy BMI = 22 (female)
- Goal Weight = 124 pounds (5'4")
B. How many pounds over her Goal Weight does your client currently weigh?
- Current Weight (168) - Goal Weight (124) = Excess Fat Weight: 44 pounds overweight
A healthy weight loss rate that your client is more likely to keep off is generally about 2% per week.
- Example: 44 pounds overweight divided by 100 (=0.44), and then multiplied by 2 = 0.88 pounds per week, which would be about 3.5 pounds per month.
C. Divide the number of pounds that your client is over her Goal Weight by her projected Weight Loss Rate per month, depending on her motivation level to lose her excess fat weight.
D. If your client started her weight loss (fitness) program this month (March, 2025), when would she achieve her goal weight?
Current Weight: 168 pounds
Goal Weight: 124 pounds
Weight Loss Goal: 44 pounds
Weight Loss Rate: - 4 pounds/month
Duration = 11 months
Goal Date = February, 2026
Goal Weight: 124 pounds
Weight Loss Goal: 44 pounds
Weight Loss Rate: - 4 pounds/month
Duration = 11 months
Goal Date = February, 2026
Personal Lifestyle Approach
Fortunately, overweight and obesity (reflecting a state of de-conditioning or unfitness) and the related health risks are reversible using proven lifestyle therapies that are safe and effective. Using personalized, self-directed strategies in nutrition and exercise, overweight and obese individuals can lose 2% of their excess weight per month and keep it off.
Note: The 2% relates to your client's excess fat weight, not total body weight.
Although getting regular exercise is powerful medicine by itself, it is also critically important to make sure that what and how much your client is eating follows healthy nutritional guidelines for supporting safe and permanent fat loss, as well as muscle retention and development.
A healthy weight (without too much fat and with enough muscle) is the key to wellness, but you can not achieve and maintain it from a fad diet, pill, injection, or surgery, because it’s a Lifestyle! All extreme diets and medical treatments fail to include the essential fitness factor for healthy weight loss and maintenance.
If your client has a validated BMI over 30, starting an exercise program "to lose the weight" may be more difficult and less safe and effective for them, as compared to unfit or de-conditioned individuals with lower BMI's. Your best approach is to help your client focus their efforts on nutrition-based fat-loss and lighter "aerobic" physical activities (walking) before engaging in "muscle-building" exercises.
As a Certified Medical-Fitness Technician, you should refer your clients to a certified Medical-Nutrition Technician when nutritionally based weight-loss education and support services are indicated for the client's health and fitness goals. (Or, you can get certified as a Medical-Nutrition Technician yourself!)
Note: The 2% relates to your client's excess fat weight, not total body weight.
Although getting regular exercise is powerful medicine by itself, it is also critically important to make sure that what and how much your client is eating follows healthy nutritional guidelines for supporting safe and permanent fat loss, as well as muscle retention and development.
A healthy weight (without too much fat and with enough muscle) is the key to wellness, but you can not achieve and maintain it from a fad diet, pill, injection, or surgery, because it’s a Lifestyle! All extreme diets and medical treatments fail to include the essential fitness factor for healthy weight loss and maintenance.
If your client has a validated BMI over 30, starting an exercise program "to lose the weight" may be more difficult and less safe and effective for them, as compared to unfit or de-conditioned individuals with lower BMI's. Your best approach is to help your client focus their efforts on nutrition-based fat-loss and lighter "aerobic" physical activities (walking) before engaging in "muscle-building" exercises.
As a Certified Medical-Fitness Technician, you should refer your clients to a certified Medical-Nutrition Technician when nutritionally based weight-loss education and support services are indicated for the client's health and fitness goals. (Or, you can get certified as a Medical-Nutrition Technician yourself!)