Obesity: Is there a way to fight it?

Nearly two-thirds of the United States population is overweight. There are many ways to determine if a person is overweight, but experts believe that a person’s body mass index (BMI) is the best way to assess an adult’s weight in relation to their height.

• A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal.
• Adults with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight. There are exceptions. For example, an athlete may have a higher BMI but not be overweight.
• Adults with a BMI greater than 30 are considered obese.
• Adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 40 are considered extremely obese.
• Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese.

A person with a high BMI may have a normal amount of body fat if they have a lot of muscles.

It’s important to remember:

Weight control is not simply a matter of willpower. Genes help determine the body’s “set point,” which is defended by the brain.

Dieting alone is rarely successful, and relapse rates are high.

Moderate exercise, too, rarely results in substantive long-term weight loss, which requires intensive exercise.

The only path to long-term weight loss is a healthy lifestyle change!