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What is Obesity?
Obesity is more than being overweight; it is a chronic disease characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat tissue compared to muscle mass, bone frame, and body fluid. Obesity is a complex disease that is caused by a combination of behavioral, genetic, social, cultural, psychological, physiological and metabolic factors.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising at an alarming rate. Over 30 percent of adults in the United States and 14 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number based on your height and weight and is used to determine if you are at a healthy weight. Overweight is defined as a BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2. A BMI equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2, or approximately 30 pounds over a healthy weight indicates obesity.
How Does Weight Influence Heart Disease?
Being overweight or obese forces your heart to work harder, and is directly linked to high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, type two diabetes, coronary heart disease, and many other physical disorders and diseases. Research indicates that fat stored in the upper body (apple shape) may pose more health threats than those who carry excess weight around the hip region (pear shape). Women should aim for a waist circumference of 35 inches or less and for men, 40 inches or less.
High Risk Populations
Although the conditions of being overweight and obese are present among all age groups and both genders, prevalence among Mexican-American men and women, African American women and women of low socioeconomic status is particularly high.
Lose Weight
If you are overweight or obese, the first step is to seek medical and nutritional advice on how to lose weight safely. Your physician and dietitian will help you develop an individualized exercise and nutrition plan. Fad diets, starvation, diet pills, laxatives and diuretics, have short-term effects and can be harmful to your body. Research shows that a weight loss goal of 1-2 pounds per week is more likely to be maintained long-term. The best way to lose weight is to combine a reduced calorie diet with regular exercise.
Health experts recommend at least 60-90 minutes of physical activity daily for those engaged in a weight loss or weight maintenance program. Exercise helps your body burn calories more efficiently while working out and at rest. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean cuts of meat. In addtion, be attentive to portion sizes especially when dining out.
Additional Resources
BMI Calculator
MyPyramid
Physical Activity
Guide to Portion Size
Dining Away From Home
Reading Food Lables
Recipe Makeover
Quick Tips for Weight Control
For More Information
Please call the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation at (612) 863-3979 or email us at educ@mplsheart.org for more information on this or other heart-health topics. Remember too, that information provided o
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