What is Obesity?
Obesity is defined as having abnormal/unhealthy levels of body fat. This is typically measured through the Body Mass Index, and can be used as a general measure of overall health.
There are four possible weight categories when determining BMI:
- Underweight: BMI below 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
- Overweight: BMI between 25.0 and 29.9
- Obese: Over 30.0
BMI For Adults Widget
Why Should You Care?
- Approximately 36% of American adults are obese
- 17% of children in the U.S. are obese
- Being obese can increase risks of many diseases, including:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Some kinds of cancer
- Medical costs in the U.S. reached $147 billion in 2008
- Medical costs for obese people are more than $1400 higher than for patients with normal weight
Causes/Risk Factors
- Sedentary Lifestyle
- Poor Diet
- Family History
- Certain Diseases
Treatments
- In most cases, obesity can be removed or prevented by increasing activity levels and improving dietary choices. Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, as well as muscle-strengthening activities twice a week*.
Resources
- For more in-depth information on Obesity, please visit the Center for Disease Control's Obesity web page.
* CIS does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The content is for informational purposes only.