Obesity refers to a person having too much body fat. This excess body fat can put a person at risk for developing a variety of health conditions. Keep reading to learn about a variety of common weight conditions and how you can change your eating habits and exercise level to make a positive difference in your health.
What is BMI
Body Mass Index (BMI) is used as a type of screening tool to determine what weight range a person falls under including underweight, normal, overweight or obese for their height. A BMI can be a good way for you to track your weight loss and set goals to be in the healthy range for your height. You can calculate your BMI easily. You will first divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters. You will then divide that number by your height. The final number you arrive at will be your BMI. You can then use the BMI chart to determine what BMI range you fall under. If your BMI is between a starting value of 25-29.9, then you fall under the overweight range. Additionally, if your BMI is over 30, you fall into true obesity range. BMI is not a perfect measurement but is helpful for giving general estimates of what healthy weight ranges should be for height.
Overweight
If you are classified as being overweight you weigh more than what is considered in a healthy weight range for your height. Being classified as overweight means that you over the healthy considered weight range, but are not yet classified as obese. If you are overweight you are taking in too many calories and not expending enough through daily activities and exercise. Other common factors that may contribute to becoming overweight include alcoholism, binge eating, certain medications, stress, hormonal imbalances, genetic predisposition and more. If you are overweight, there are many treatment options available that can help you to lose weight and become healthy. A few of the most common treatment methods include exercising eating less, eating healthy and increasing your daily activity level.
Obesity
Obesity is becoming an increasingly common weight condition in the United States. Obesity happens when you eat more calories than you use up in a day. This means that the calories that you intake are greater than you burn through exercise and daily activities. Your weight may be influenced by a variety of factors including your DNA, overeating, eating high calorie and high-fat foods, and not being physically active enough to sufficiently burn calories. Obesity can increase your odds of developing a variety of health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis, cancer and others. Obesity is commonly divided into certain classes based on BMI ranges, including class 1- a BMI that falls within a range of 30<35, class 2- A BMI that falls within a range of 35<40, and class 3- a BMI of 40 or above.
Weight Loss Treatments
There are many ways that you can become healthier by losing weight, increasing exercise and eating healthy. A few of the most effective weight loss treatments include:
- Increasing physical activity
- Physical activity can help you to burn calories. Implementing a new exercise program into your routine can allow you to lose weight and get healthy.
- Eating less
- Eating fewer calories is the number one way to lose weight, but it is important to stay within a healthy range so that you do not deprive your body of the calories and nutrients it needs. Exercise portion control so that you do not overeat and exceed your recommended calorie intake.
- Making healthy choices
- Skip the fast food, and try out a healthy option at home. Look to create a well-rounded diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Creating a plan and stick to it
- Your doctor can help you to create a plan for weight loss so that you can feel confident in your choices. You can also see a dietician and join a gym so that you have other allies in your weight loss journey.
- Medications
- Under your doctor’s supervision, you may be prescribed medication that will help you to feel fuller sooner and longer. These medications should be used directly as listed.
- Surgery
- There are a variety of surgeries available as a last-resort treatment method for those who are significantly obese and have failed to lose weight through other options. Weight loss surgery options include adjustable gastric band, biliopancreatic diversion, biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, gastric sleeve surgery, or Roux-En-Y gastric bypass. Your doctor may recommend weight loss surgery for you if you are a candidate.
It is important to make positive choices when it comes to your diet and exercise routine because it affects your overall health. You can start making positive choices now which will become a healthy routine.