What is Obesity
Body image is a popular issue in today's appearance-conscious culture and you may be wondering just what is obesity. In a nutshell, obesity means a person is overweight and weighs 20 percent more than the normal weight for their body.
To fully answer the question, however, there is more involved. Obesity is commonly calculated using what is know as the body mass index, or BMI. A person is classified as obese if their BMI score is 30 or higher. (A BMI of 25-29.9, indicates the person is overweight.)
There is another classification known as morbid obesity, which happens when a person weighs 50-100 percent more than their normal weight. A person is also considered to be morbidly obese if they weigh 100 pounds or more over the normal weight or have a BMI of 40 or higher. Additionally, this distinction is made when a person is so overweight that their weight becomes a severe health problem and they are no longer able to function normally.
What is Obesity - Calculating BMI
Body mass index, or BMI, is figured out by dividing weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters squared). If you are more comfortable with pounds and inches, it works like this: multiply the weight in pounds by 705, and then divide the answer by the height in inches two times. If the result is higher than 30, that person is obese.
BMI is considered to be quite an accurate way to determine if a person is underweight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. Basically the BMI compares a person's weight in proportion to their height. The only time BMI is not useful in determining obesity is when a person is extremely muscular. Muscular people will have a higher BMI, but it is due to muscle weight rather than fat weight.
What is Obesity - Common Causes
A person doesn't become obese overnight, but it happens because of basic science. If the body takes in more calories than it burns on any given day, those calories turn into fat. If a person eats more calories than they use on regular basis over a period of time, they will become overweight, and the end result may be obesity.
What is Obesity - The Dangers
Obesity is a serious condition because it increases a person's risk for many serious illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, joint problems and sleep apnea. And that says nothing about the psychological effects of obesity, which can contribute to a less-than-satisfying life.
What is Obesity - Simple Solution
The simple solution to obesity is burning more calories than are taken it. Of course, the doing is not as easy as the saying. But the most straight forward way to defeat obesity is through diet and exercise. Eating a balanced diet and consuming calories that are proportionate to body size and type is a start. Add some regular exercise to that healthy diet and the weight will begin coming off. It is a scientific fact.
And remember. Obesity does not happen overnight, and it doesn't go away overnight either. But with persistence and dedication - the same dedication that was given to putting the weight on in the first place - obesity can be overcome and permanently beat.