Obesity & BMI (Body Mass Index)
The term obese implies that one is very
"fat", extremely overweight, and often carries negative connotations.
However the scientific definition describes obese in a non-judgmental
way that simply expresses ones weight as a number, a certain body mass
index (BMI). Since the early 1980s, BMI has been the medical standard
for obtaining obesity measurements. Government researchers and scientists
developed the BMI to take height into account in weight measurements.
It is important to realize that one cannot determine if one is obese based
solely on one's weight. For example, if one weighs 145 pounds, is he or
she considered to be obese? The answer to this question lies in also asking
the person's height. The answers would be different for someone who is
5'1" tall, 5'6", and 6'.
Today, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered
to be overweight and the criteria for being considered obese consists
of a BMI of 30 or more. In order to calculate one's BMI a simple mathematical
formula is used (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared).
According to these conventions a person who is 5'2" and weighs 165
has a BMI of 30.2, and is obese. Someone who is 5'6" and weighs 165
has a BMI of 26.6, and is overweight, but not obese. Someone who is 6'
and weighs 165 has a BMI of 22.4, and is in the healthy BMI range.
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