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Obesity
is a disease that affects nearly
one-third of the adult American
population (approximately 60 million).
The number of overweight and obese
Americans has continued to increase
since 1960, a trend that is not slowing
down. Today, 64.5 percent of adult
Americans (about 127 million) are
categorized as being overweight or
obese.
Each year, obesity causes at least
300,000 excess deaths in the U.S., and
healthcare costs of American adults with
obesity amount to approximately $100
billion.
- Obesity
is the second leading cause of
unnecessary deaths.
- Obesity
is a chronic disease with a strong
familiar component.
- Obesity
increases one's risk of high blood
pressure, diabetes (type 2), heart
and vascular disease, stroke,
gallbladder disease and cancer of
the breast, prostate and colon. It
also increases psychosocial and
joint and spinal column problems.
- The
tendency toward obesity is fostered
by our environment: lack of physical
activity combined with high-calorie,
low-cost foods.
Obesity, It’s Health Risks, and Common Weight-Loss Methods
Obesity is an excess of total body fat, which results from caloric intake that exceeds energy usage. The most common measurement for obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (lb.) by height in inches squared (in2) and multiplying that amount by 704.5. The metric calculation for BMI is kg/m2.
While BMI does not actually measure body fat, it tends to correlate well with the degree of obesity. Thus it should not be used alone for diagnosis, but can be useful as a general guideline.
The ideal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2. The obesity categories adopted in 1998 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are:
BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 - Overweight
BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m2 - Obese
BMI 35 to 39.9 kg/m2 - Severely Obese
BMI 40 kg/m2 and up - Morbidly Obese
Morbid obesity may considerably reduce life expectancy and is associated with an increased risk of developing conditions or diseases such as diabetes, stroke, respiratory problems, sleep apnea, hypertension and cancer. Sufficient weight loss is important for improving your health, reducing your risk of developing associated conditions and enhancing your overall quality of life.
Learn if you may be considered for a weight loss surgical procedure and which is right for.
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