Obesity Information

In 1999, the percentage of overweight adults in the United States passed 61%, leading US authorities to call the phenomenon "a public health epidemic".

The percentage of obese adults, meanwhile, is reaching 30%. And while being overweight can pose many problems for a person, obesity is a very real danger to one's health and should not be left untreated.

The problem is not unique to the US, but is a concern for the entire Western world.

As explained by the US Center for Disease Control, being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, and even some cancers.

Definitions

In order to judge how healthy a person's weight is, doctors use a number called Body Mass Index or BMI.

The BMI is calculated based on the person's height and weight, and usually corresponds to the person's body fat (high BMI -- a lot of excess body fat).

An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is usually considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is usually considered obese.

The exceptions to the rule are people whose "excess" weight does not stem from body fat; in athletes, for example, it stems from muscle. For such people, BMI is misleading and doctors use other indicators.

See Where You Stand

You can use the CDC's BMI calculator in order to get a sense of your own status before you go see a doctor.

Next: Obesity Treatment

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