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Definition of Obesity

According to yourDictionary, an obese person is “very fat, stout, corpulent.” If you’re looking for a more scientifically accurate definition of obesity, however, you’ll need to start by looking at the person’s BMI. Also known as Body Mass Index, this calculation is widely used by medical professionals to estimate body fat and determine whether or not a subject is at a healthy weight.

Generally speaking, people with a BMI over 30 are considered obese since they are typically about 30 pounds over their ideal weight for their height. Those with a BMI of 40 or more are considered morbidly obese, although some doctors apply this label to people with a BMI of 35 or above who also have obesity-related medical conditions that substantially affect their quality of life.

While BMI is now widely accepted as a standard tool in evaluating obesity, it should be noted that BMI calculations alone can be somewhat misleading. Race, sex, age, and ethnicity are not taken into account when making the basic calculations. Statistics may be somewhat inflated when dealing with athletes and others who have a high muscle mass, since muscle simply weighs more than an equivalent amount of fat. On the opposite end of the spectrum, BMI calculations are often artificially low when working with the elderly and those who have lost body mass.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 31% of all Americans were classified as obese in 2000—increasing dramatically from a mere 15% in 1980.

Obesity in America

Although the most common reasons cited for the rise of obesity in America are the widespread availability of processed foods with minimal nutritional value and the decreased emphasis placed on daily physical activity, researchers believe other factors may be contributing to the problem as well. For example:

  • Medications such as antidepressants, contraceptives, diabetes drugs, and substances used to control blood pressure often cause weight gain as an unintended side effect.
  • Environmental groups have hypothesized that the pollutants in our environment are impacting the hormones which control body weight.
  • Studies have shown people who regularly get less than eight hours of sleep each night are more likely to be obese. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is very common in today’s hectic society.
  • American women are generally waiting longer to begin having children, even though research suggests older mothers are more likely to give birth to children with weight problems.
  • Middle aged people and those of Hispanic descent are statistically more likely to struggle to maintain a healthy body weight. As a country, the United States is becoming older and more ethnically diverse.

Medical Risks of Obesity

While many people believe our society places an unhealthy emphasis on physical attractiveness, there are many legitimate reasons to be concerned about the rise of obesity in America. Obesity has been linked to several serious medical problems, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Sleep apnea
  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Prostate cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Osteoarthritis

The U.S. Surgeon General has estimated that obesity is a significant factor in over 300,000 deaths each year and contributes to over $117 billion in increased medical costs for the country as a whole.

Many people who suffer from obesity mistakenly believe that getting down to a healthy body weight will be too difficult. However, it’s important to remember that one does not have to lose massive amounts of weight to see direct health benefits. Obese people who lose just 5-10% of their total body weight often see immediate improvements in their medical conditions.

Additional Information

If you are interested in learning more about obesity and the health concerns surrounding this important issue, yourDictionary recommends visiting the following helpful Web sites:

If you’re looking for information regarding plans to help you shed unwanted pounds, visit LoveToKnow Diet.

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