A slim and trim waist is more than just an attractive physical characteristic in a woman. It is a very important indicator of her current health and future chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and weight-related cancers.

You might assume that your child’s heaviest friend isn’t as healthy as his average-sized friend, or that his tiny friend isn’t getting quite enough to eat, but size isn’t always an indicator of health, according to the website, KidsHealth.

The body mass index is used to gain an idea of the amount of body fat that you have based on your height and weight. It’s used to screen for weight categories that can lead to health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered the healthy range.

Many different body shapes and sizes are healthy, so you won't find a single calculation to tell you exactly what you should weigh and what your measurements should be.

Adjusting bindings to fit different size boots is common practice among ski rental shops and people that share skis. Marker bindings have adjustments that allow you to fit boots that are both longer and wider than the average boot.

The ideal weight was conceived by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1943. Its purpose was to identify groups with the lowest mortality rates. Since 1943, other height and weight charts have evolved, using a variety of standards to calculate your ideal weight.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated the average height of American teenagers via physical examinations 5 times since the 1960s. CDC estimates that the average teenage girl in 2002 -- the year of the most recent physical exams -- is about 0.3 inches taller than she was in the 1960s.

The body mass index, or BMI, tables use the word "normal" to categorize the weight status of people who weigh between the underweight and overweight standards. Your height and weight determine your BMI. The weight-for-height tables use "desirable"

As an athlete, you want to get in the best shape possible, but understanding exactly what that means can be a challenge. Weight tables drawn up for the general population do not necessarily reflect appropriate height-to-weight ratios for athletes.

People of the same height can post different weights on the scale and still be perfectly healthy. Men tend to weigh more than women of the same height because they naturally have a greater amount of muscle mass, which weighs more per square inch than fat tissue.

Your body frame or bone structure can impact your ideal weight and your total body mass index, as well as your clothing size. Body frame sizes for both men and women are typically categorized as small, medium or large. Simple measurements can help you determine whether you are large or small boned.

The average height and weight for girls vary by age. A girl whose measurements vary from the average isn't necessarily unhealthy, however. Body mass index, or BMI, calculated from a girl's height and weight can be used to determine whether she's at a healthy weight for her height.