2 years ago
My height is 5 ft 8 inch my weight is 64.5 kg. I want gain weight upto 70 kg please suggest keeping in mind that I am hypertensive and have high cholesterol too.
Is there any hope for me??
2 years ago
Dear Arnab Karmakar, Thank you for the question
WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.
It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)
Following is the WHO BMI Classification
18.5 to 24.9 - Normal
Less than 18.5 - Underweight
25 to 29 - Overweight
Above 30 – Obese
According to your mentioned Height & weight your BMI is 21.8kg/m2 which is under the Normal BMI range as per WHO classification.
Elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol arises from a combination of environmental, genetic, lifestyle and dietary factors. Some of the symptoms associated with elevated blood pressure include headache, dizziness, impaired vision, filing memory, shortness of breath, unexplained tiredness etc.
For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.
Adopting an overall dietary pattern such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is recommended to manage hypertension
The DASH dietary pattern emphasizes on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, inclusion of lean meat such as chicken or fish etc., reduced saturated and total fat and reduced sodium intake.
In any weight management programme, it is very essential to consume a healthy diversified balanced diet with few dietary modifications and regular physical activity. For weight gain it is essential to focus on your daily balanced diet with high calorie, high protein and regular meals. With any weight gain diet, changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.
A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g protein per kg body weight. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.
Here are few guidelines that can be considered
- Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
-Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
-Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety as well as dietary fiber helps reduces cholesterol and potentially reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
- Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, multigrain millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.
- Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.
- Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically
- Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
- Try to limit sodium intake in your daily diet. Some of the high sodium foods include salt preserved foods like pickles, sauces, canned foods, salted butter, dry fish, papads, etc.
- Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.
- Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.
- Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.
- Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.
- Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week
For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.
Hope we have answered your query.
Wishing you a great day ahead