Defining Obesity
Obesity is an excess of total body fat, which results from caloric intake that exceeds energy usage. It also is a life-threatening disease afflicting Canadians at an alarming rate. A quarter of the population is obese, and one million Canadians are morbidly obese. The prevalence of obesity has increased more than 60 percent in the past decade. Given this aggressive increase in the rate of obesity, experts predict that this health crisis will only continue to escalate.
Measuring Obesity
The most common clinical measurement for obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI). The metric calculation for BMI is kg/m2. While BMI does not actually measure body fat, it tends to correlate well with the degree of obesity and associated health risks. BMI alone should not be used for diagnosis, but can be useful as a general guideline.
Find out your BMI by entering your height and weight below:
Your BMI may also be calculated by entering your personal information into the following equation:
BMI = [Weight (lbs) ÷ height (in)2] x 703
The obesity categories adopted in 1998 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are2:
| BMI | Classification3 | Level of Health Risk |
| 18.5-24.9 | Normal weight | Minimal/low |
| 25-29.9 | Overweight | Increased |
| 30-34.9 | Obese | High |
| 35-39.9 | Severely Obese | Very High |
| 40 and up | Morbidly Obese | Extremely High |
Health risks mentioned here include disease risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Ideal body weight is associated with the lowest death rate in insured populations and is taken from the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tables.
The BMI calculation cannot distinguish between body fat and muscle. This could cause a very muscular person to be mistakenly classified as obese. For this reason, your physician should always consider your individual case before recommending any weight-loss plan.
Seriously overweight individuals with either a BMI of 40 or greater, or a BMI between 35 and 40 with a weight-related health problem may be considered candidates the LAP-BAND® System.
Causes
Obesity is not a sign that a person’s eating habits are necessarily out of control. Many things can lead to this chronic disease, such as:- Energy imbalance -- Taking too much energy from food that is in excess of what the body needs can lead to weight gain, depending on individual metabolism and activity level.
- Heredity -- If others in your family are obese, you have a higher risk for obesity.
- Metabolic disorders -- Changes in metabolism, or how your body gets energy from food, may affect your energy balance and your weight
- Eating and social habits -- Eating an unbalanced diet, snacking between meals, and not getting enough exercise may all contribute to obesity.
- Psychological factors -- Social or emotional eating is also one of the main causes of excess weight gain.
Any one or a combination of these factors can lead to obesity. As science continues to search for answers, seriously overweight individuals must understand how to treat their condition in the most effective way.
Health Risks
Contributing to 40,0000 deaths each year in Canada, obesity is considered the second leading cause of preventable death after smoking. In fact, it is more damaging to your health than smoking and alcohol abuse. In addition, obesity is a major risk factor for serious medical conditions (comorbidities), such as:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Breathing difficulties
- Cancer
- Joint problems
Being seriously overweight (having a BMI of 35 or greater) significantly increases the chance of developing health conditions that can result in significant physical, mental, and social disabilities.
- Dr. Peter Rehor, Camosun’s director of sport education, Saanich News
