Mortality
Risk
Body Mass Index (weight (kg)/height(m)2)
Build Impairment Questionnaire
Build Impairment Printable Questionnaire
Build is one of the basic life risk characteristics and one of the oldest. The risk factor of age has been used since the 17th century. Occupation followed in the next century along with infectious disease history by the late 19th century. Interest in body build led to height and weight tables related to age and sex. This work was completed in 1897 and 1906 and has had modification over the years as actuarial expertise has improved. Prior to the turn of the 20th century, underweights were considered poor insurance risks due to the high death rate of tuberculosis. Conversely, overweights were considered well nourished and healthy. When the 1903 mortality statistics were published, the overweights were obliged to pay an extra premium. Since then, there have been further modifications.
With the elimination of tuberculosis, the underweights show a better mortality than the average weight in most age groups. The 1979 study in mortality shows a reverse trend with a rise in mortality for those 20% or more underweight. In summary there is increased mortality at both extremes of weight. The more overweight one is, the higher the risk as the graph below shows. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in 1999-2000 15% of American children and adolescent (ages 6-19) are overweight. For American adults, 64% are overweight or obese.
Mortality |
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Body Mass Index (weight (kg)/height(m)2) |
Those whose excess weight is muscle and bone, with little fat and whose weight distributtion is good, are better risks than the obese. Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used measurement of adiposity (fat as opposed to muscle) per height. The buld table takes this into consideration by giving a weight range classed by height and BMI. Significantly overweight patients have an icreased risk for coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
Click here to view build tables for those aged 18-64
Click here to view build tables for those aged 65 and over.