How do doctors define obesity? (body fat, bmi,etc)

Written by Tena Moore


Obesity is defined as having excessive body fat that puts one’s health at risk. Although there are other ways to determine obesity, such as measuring body fat, most doctors usually determine obesity by using a ‘body mass index’ (BMI) number. A BMI number is generated by using the person’s height and weight to determine a number that will show whether a person is obese, overweight, a healthy weight, or underweight. For adults, a BMI number of 30 and over is considered obese.

Body Mass Index is found by using a specific formula:

Weight, divided by Height in Inches (squared), multiplied by 703 = BMI

Did that make sense? Here’s an example.

Let’s say I am 5’4” tall and weigh 147 lbs.

I would take my height and turn it into inches. There are twelve inches in a foot, so that is 64 inches. First, multiply 64 by 64 = 4,096, to get the height squared. Take the weight (147 lbs.) and divide it by the height squared, 4,096. Lastly, take that number and multiply it by 703. The answer is 25.2297 – in other words, my BMI would be 25 and slightly overweight. I could enter the ‘normal weight’ category, and increase my health, by losing a couple of pounds.

BMI Weight Categories:

Underweight: Less than 18.5

Normal Weight: 18.5 – 24.9

Overweight: 25.0 – 29.9

Obese – 30.0 +

If this seems like too much calculating, it is very easy to search online for a ‘BMI Calculator’ that will do the work for you. Just input your weight and height and the rest will be calculated automatically.



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Can that Little Pot Belly Indicate That You’re More Likely to Develop Heart Disease?

Yes, even a small amount of abdominal fat may increase the likelihood of heart disease even in otherwise normal weight individuals. Recently, researchers from the University of Texas published a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which confirmed the fact that waist size rather than overall body weight was a better indicator of heart disease. Researchers in this study based their study on medical tests and imaging scans performed on over two thousand individuals. The results of the testing indicate that women with a waist of thirty-two or larger and men with a waist of thirty seven or greater had a significant risk of heart disease.

The study went on to state that body shape is important. Individuals with the largest waist to hip ratio’s (waist larger than hips) were twice as likely to have the calcium deposits that suggest the onset of Atherosclerosis than those with smaller hip to waist ratios. This body shape also linked with other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. It appears that abdominal fat secretes inflammatory proteins that add to the atherosclerotic plaque accumulation. Still, other studies indicate that belly fat is more toxic than fat located on other areas of the body such as the hips. Although individuals who are overweight have an increased risk of heart disease, the risk increased if an individual has fat that concentrated around the abdomen. Previous studies have produced the same results as the study done at the University of Texas, consequently it is important for individuals to eat a healthy diet and exercise to prevent the accumulation of belly fat early in life in order to reduce their risks of morbid diseases such a heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

Hoodia extract – A Weight Loss Succulent to reduce Body fat

If you’ve heard of hoodia gordonii, chances are it is due to its overwhelming popularity in the west for weight loss and dieting. What many don’t know is that before being known for appetite suppression, hoodia was also used to help treat indigestion, diabetes, abdominal cramps, hypertension and more by the Kalahari San bushmen of South America.

This South American succulent, which has a similar appearance to the cactus, has been proven to reduce body fat, appetite and calorie intake. It can be found as an extract, tincture and in capsule form at many health food stores and online distributors, and is currently being studied by pharmaceutical companies seeking to create a synthetic form for the purpose of weight loss prescription drugs.

Hoodia extract