BMI Overweight & Obesity
Many Americans are becoming overweight
or obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most commonly used measures
of obesity.
BMI - Measure Obesity
BMI is generally related to body fat. Higher BMIs usually mean higher
body fat. As body fat or BMI increases, especially from values equal to
or greater than 30, health risks increase. Being overweight (BMI of 25
to 30) or being obese (BMI greater than 30) increases the risk of having
high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of
cancer, arthritis, and breathing problems. When overweight or obese people
lose weight, they also lower their blood pressure, total cholesterol,
LDL (or "bad") cholesterol, increase their HDL (or "good")
cholesterol, improve their blood sugar levels, and reduce their amount
of abdominal fat.
BMI Weight Loss Research
The National Institutes of Health issued a report in 1998 to identify
and treat obesity and overweight. Many scientific research studies suggest
that weight loss reduces chronic diseases and improves the life span of
people who are overweight. This report provided recommendations to clinicians
and the public about weight management. In developing this report, more
than 43,627 research articles were obtained from a search of the scientific
literature and reviewed by a panel of researchers. Researchers have examined
the importance of weight reduction in people with high blood cholesterol,
high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and osteoarthritis, and reported
that weight loss reduces the risks for these diseases.
BMI Weight Loss Research Conclusions
The link between BMI and health shows that overweight or obese people
are more likely than those at normal weight to have medical problems such
as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, diabetes, and heart
disease. Research studies have shown that even a weight loss of 1-2 pounds
per week for six months can improve the health of overweight people. The
goal of weight loss should be to improve health. Rapid weight loss, swings
in body weight, and improper dieting should not be the goal.
Source: Publication of the USDA Center
for Nutrition Policy and Promotion 2000
Articles to Help You Lose Weight
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