Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States, where women are especially affected. Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, the majority of them being African American or Mexican American. With more and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960's.
But what is obesity? Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that's not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Most health professionals concur that a man is obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a woman is obese if she has over 30 percent. Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why there's a difference in percentage.
It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of ways. First, using a tweezer-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the thickness of skin folds on different points of your body and compare the results with standardized numbers. You can also use a small device that sends a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage. The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese. It's important to remember though that BMI could be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals. There are some free tools to find your body fat percentage at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/body-fat-calculator.html.
With obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even losing 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can dramatically decrease the risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse. Find out if you are at risk for health disease using the health calculators at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/high-blood-pressure.html.
A number of factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics, and certain medical disorders, cause obesity, but it can be conquered. One major obstacle to being more physically active is motivation and accountability. Find a friend with similar fitness goals and begin a simple exercise program together. It takes time to see the results, but your health is worth it!
Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal Trainer.
Sign up for her free Exercise Advice journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html or read more of her articles at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html. Get your free unbelievable abs ball workout http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html
20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at... Read More
Not everyone can handle hot food. But who said cayenne... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More
I've worked with hundreds of people who were interested in... Read More
1. Include in your diet things that contain more water... Read More
Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More
Surprisingly, hair loss is one of the reasons female pre-operative... Read More
You may be considering weight loss surgery if you are... Read More
Dear BMTers,Low carb this and low carb that?that's all you... Read More
While it would be ideal to make all of our... Read More
Families who dine out with their loved ones who've had... Read More
Are you considering a low carb diet? If so you... Read More
Some of my dieting tips are not conventional. You can... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
I am a Registered Dietitian who has spent over 10,000... Read More
Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More
After weight loss surgery it is important to include as... Read More
Abdominal liposuction refers to liposuction, or lipoplasty, that is performed... Read More
In the medical community, "obesity" is generally said to be... Read More
Once there were these two Nuns and they...just kidding! Do... Read More
Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
In many cases conventional dieting wisdom simply doesn't work for... Read More
My last article, Make Diets Work, concluded that dieting the... Read More
With the number of people suffering from obesity rising so... Read More
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..As a woman, your body is very complex. Throughout every... Read More
Families who dine out with their loved ones who've had... Read More
Sometimes, just the thought of starting on a diet and... Read More
If you are a fan of horse racing, you are... Read More
A bad day or even a bad week is not... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
In life, various factors contribute to weight gain. Be it... Read More
Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it:... Read More
Franchised Business Models and American Diets could be at odds.... Read More
There are many books and internet articles written about weight... Read More
All Diets Are Based on the Same Premise: Eat Less... Read More
Liposuction works best with people who are a normal weight... Read More
"Help, none of this mainstream stuff works!"There is a specific... Read More
It all begins with water .... Water makes up 75%... Read More
Do you know the name of that one disease which... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at... Read More
Okay, so you've read some of these articles, done your... Read More
Not so resolved on that "New Year's Resolution" to be... Read More
Spring is here and swimsuit weather is just around the... Read More
All of us that have had a love-hate relationship with... Read More
Studies show that most Americans are fifteen percent fatter today... Read More
It is important that the public not only understand the... Read More
Are you overweight?Most people are afraid to admit they are.It... Read More
How to Break Your PlateauToday is a typical morning like... Read More
Weight Loss |