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What is Obesity?
An estimated 60 million adults in the United States are obese, a condition
that substantially raises their risk for high blood pressure, type 2
diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease,
osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and cancer of the
breast, prostate and colon. Higher body weights are also associated with
increases in mortality from all causes. Obese individuals may also suffer
from social stigmatization and discrimination. Health care costs associated
with obesity amount to approximately $100 billion in the U.S. As the second
leading cause of preventable death in the United States today, overweight
and obesity pose a major public health challenge.
There are several classifications of obesity. If you have a Body Mass Index (BMI)
of 40 or
higher, then you may qualify for bariatric surgery. Patients with a BMI of
35.0- 39.9 may also qualify as long as one or more co-morbidities are
present.
| Classification |
Obesity
Class |
BMI |
| Normal |
|
18.5 – 24.9 |
| Overweight |
|
25.0 – 29.9 |
| Obese |
I |
30.0 – 34.9 |
| Morbidly Obese |
II |
35.0 – 39.9 |
| Extremely Obese |
III |
40 or above |
Use our electronic BMI calculator to easily determine your body mass index.
(calculation is [weight (pounds) ÷ height (inches)2] x 703)
While obesity is an enormous public health threat for Americans of all ages, it is a far more serious problem for children and minorities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently estimated that 15% of all children in the U.S. are overweight, and nearly 25% of black and Hispanic children weigh too much.
Obesity-Related Medical Conditions
For additional information on the health risks related to adult obesity, visit our
Healthwise Knowledgebase.
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