What is a healthy weight?
A healthy weight is not a number on a scale! Each person’s body is unique, with its own body composition: how much bone, muscle and fat it has.
How your body is composed is decided by your genetics (the code in your DNA that is passed down from your family) and your lifestyle. Just as some people are shorter and others are taller, some people naturally have more or less body fat or muscle than others. Your healthy weight is a range that is specific to you.
How do I maintain a healthy weight?
You can maintain a healthy weight by eating healthy foods and being physically active. This can be difficult when you have cancer because some cancers or cancer treatments such as steroids can make you feel more hungry than usual. Others can make it hard to eat or stay physically active.
The best source of information about a healthy weight is your health-care team. You and/or your parents can talk to your doctor, nurses, dietitian, or physiotherapist. They understand the challenges that come with having cancer and can give you suggestions to stay healthy.
Why is a healthy weight important?
Eating a healthy diet and staying at a healthy body weight can help prevent some types of cancer in the future. Keeping a healthy weight can also help prevent other chronic (long-term) diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. So, eat well and stay active to be healthy in the future.
