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Alternative names Return to top
Fat - obese; OverweightDefinition Return to top
Obesity is also defined as a BMI (body mass index) over 30 kg/m2. Patients with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight, but not obese. See also diet and calories.
More than half of the U.S. population is overweight. But being obese is different from being overweight. An adult male is considered obese when his weight is 20% or more over the maximum desirable for their height; a woman is considered obese at 25% or more than this maximum weight. Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese.
Considerations Return to top
Rates of obesity are climbing. An ominous statistic is that the percentage of children and adolescents who are obese has doubled in the last 20 years.
The basic nutritional needs of most people are approximately 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men. However, people who are very active, such as professional athletes or manual laborers, may need 4,000 or more. Pregnant women and nursing mothers require about 300-500 more calories/day than women who are neither pregnant nor nursing.
The body cannot store protein or carbohydrates, so excess protein or carbohydrate intake is converted to fat for storage. One pound of fat represents about 3,500 excess calories.
Obesity increases a person's risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. Obesity may increase the risk for some types of cancer. It is also a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.
Genetic factors play some part in the development of obesity -- children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight.
Common Causes Return to top
Home Care Return to top
To help prevent an increase in weight:
For additional help in losing weight:
Also, be sure to set realistic goals for weight reduction. A loss of 1 to 2.5 pounds a week may seem slow, but losing weight too fast often does not work. Weight lost quickly is usually regained quickly.
Call your health care provider if Return to top
What to expect at your health care provider's office Return to top
Medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.Skin fold measurements may be taken to assess body composition. Blood studies to test endocrine function may be performed.
Treatment:
Medications are usually not recommended to aid intentional weight loss. They often cause harmful side effects or adverse reactions. At best, the drugs control appetite only for short time periods and don't help change eating habits.
Gastric outlet stapling may be indicated for the morbidly obese. Your primary care provider may want to refer you to a general surgeon for more information about this.
Update Date: 4/19/2004 Updated by: Brian F. Burke M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |