|
 What
is Obesity?
Where is your fat located?
Causes of Obesity
Consequences of Obesity
Who should lose weight?
Who should lose weight?
- FIRST, DECIDE
IF YOU HAVE ANY RISK FACTORS.
 |
Doctors
generally agree that people can gain significant health benefits from weight loss if they are 20
percent or more overweight, or if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or above. (To find your BMI, click
here.)
Many obesity experts believe that people who are less
than 20 percent above their healthy weight (or whose BMI is 27 or above) should try to lose weight
if they have any of the following risk factors.
|
Risk Factors
- Family history of certain chronic
diseases.
People with close relatives who have had heart
disease or diabetes
are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese.
- Pre-existing medical conditions.
High blood pressure,
high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of
some obesity-associated diseases.
- "Apple" shape.
People whose weight is concentrated around their abdomens may be at greater risk
of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer than people of the same weight who are
pear-shaped.
Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of ten to 20
pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and
cholesterol levels.
|
