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Evaluation of Weight
If you need to lose weight, you are not alone. It is estimated that 97
million adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, a condition that dramatically
raises their risk of morbidity from high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol
and/or triglycerides, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke,
gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems,
and endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Obese individuals
may also suffer from social stigmatization and discrimination. Today,
as the second leading cause of preventable death in the U. S., overweight
and obesity pose a major public health challenge.
Body Mass Index
BMI is a formula using your height and weight, which indicates body fatness:
The BMI value is NOT designed for:
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
Children and adolescents (18 years or younger)
Body builders or competitive athletes
Frail elderly individuals
Underweight is less than 18.8
Normal BMI is 18 to 24
Overweight is 25 to 29.9
Obesity is 30 or higher
Extreme obesity is 40 and higher
Waist Circumference
A large waist means you have excess fat in the abdomen that is out of
proportion to total body fat. Fat in the abdomen is a predictor of risk
factors and morbidity.
For MEN a large waist circumference is greater than 40 inches.
For WOMEN a large waist circumference is greater than 35 inches.
If you need to lose weight and would like to have help from a dietitian,
click here.
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