Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Between 13 and 31 percent of Americans are Obese.
Definition
Obesity is defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or, greater than 30.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is determined by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplying the number by 703: or Weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
A less tedious way of determining the BMI is by using the BMI calculator at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi
Classification
| BMI | CLASS |
| 25 - 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30 - 34.9 | Obesity Class I |
| 35 - 39.9 | Obesity Class II |
| > or equal to 40 | Obesity Class III (Morbid Obesity) |
Factors that increase the risk for Obesity and being Overweight include:
- Increasing age.
- African American, Hispanic American and Native American ethnicity/race
- Among immigrant subgroups, after 10 years of residency in the United States, risk of obesity increases with number of years of residency.
Medications that increase the risk for obesity
- Corticosteroids
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotic agents
- Anticonvulsants
- Lithium
- Anti-diabetic agents (insulin, sulfonylurea, thiazolidinediones)
Obesity and being Overweight can result in
- Increased risk for
- Diabetes,
- Heart disease,
- Stroke,
- Heart failure,
- Elevated cholesterol,
- Reproductive cancer,
- Gastrointestinal cancer,
- Gallstones,
- Fatty liver,
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep apnea.
- Increased total death rate
Source: American College of Physicians.
