Saturday 13 December 2014

Weighing the Cost of Obesity

Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into account both a person’s height and weight. It equals a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, hence, the formula: BMI=kg/m2. It is designed for men and women over the age of 18. A healthy BMI is between 20 and 25. A result below 20 indicates that one may be underweight; a figure above 25 indicates that a person may be overweight best way to control obesity is to buy generic xenical and use it. BMI is also the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity.
Obesity is now considered an epidemic in the United States. More than half of Americans are overweight including at least one in five children being above the normal weight for their age. Nearly one third of Americans are obese. Obesity is on the rise because food is abundant and physical activity is optional or less than what is required to maintain one’s health. The number of obese and overweight people is increasing dramatically all over the world.