Obesity

What's obesity

Overweight and obesity are states that are clearly defined by body mass index, which is calculated from the weight and size. But there are other indices reflecting the state of health. This is the case of the impedance (or calculation of the mass of fat), and the tower of size. Obesity simply means to have much body fat in your body. A measurement of body mass index (BMI) is typically used to determine whether a person is overweight or obese.  BMI calculates between weight and height.  Weight is usually understood as entire and full body weight, which comes from bones, fat and water in the body.

Are you big, heavy, calculate and see

 In any age, body mass index (BMI) lets you to know if the relationship between weight and size is normal. For children, it postpones the BMI on a growth curve. For adults, the limits from which we talk about normal weight, under weight, overweight or obesity have been clearly defined. The calculation of the BMI returns to divide two times its weight in kilos by its size in meters: weight in kg / (size in m)2
Example:a man weighing 80 kg and measuring 1.75 m presents a BMI of 26.1 (80 divided two times by 1.75 ).

-Under 18.5 BMI indicates an under weight.
-Between 18.5 and 24.9 , the weight is normal.
-Between 25 and 29.9 it is an overweight, as in the example above.
-From 30, we talk about obesity.

Are you too large

The BMI does not take into account the distribution of fat in the body. That is why this index may be supplemented by the waist size measurement. And this value is very important. In effect, the fact of having the belly is unsightly, but also exposed to an increased cardiovascular risk because the accumulation of fat in the abdomen disrupts the metabolism of fats and sugar. It is as well as the abdominal size that is part of the factors which define the metabolic syndrome (association of several anomalies: obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) the measurement is done with a tape measure at the level of the umbilicus. The normal limit of the abdominal size is:

 -102 cm among men,
 -88 cm among women.If the measurement exceeds these limits, a cardiovascular screening is required, to search for other possible risk factors (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure).  If applicable, a preventive treatment can be put in place.

Are you too fat

The impedance or calculation of the weight of the fat mass, has also its importance particularly for the elderly, the subjects at cardiovascular risk, in the case of speed, etc. The measure consists in passing an electrical current of very low intensity (completely painless) in the body, from the top to the bottom. The fat body show more resistance against the electrical current that other fabrics, it can differentiate and calculate its percentage relative to the total weight. The percentage of fat mass is normal on average of :
-10 to 25% among men
-20 to 35% among women. Note that this measure is interesting to check the effectiveness of a diet (some are dangerous because they are losing a lot of water and little fat) or a sports practice.

France as an example

If France was part of the European countries most resistant to the problem of obesity, currently, it seems to take the same path as the United States. As well, Obesity is a serious health problem that affects almost one of three Americans adults.  Since 1980, the number of obese and overweight adult Americans has roughly doubled, and tripled for children. The statistics show that a third of French people are affected by obesity. Suitable devices must be put in place, given the speed of the evolution of the problem.

The National Institute for Health and medical research collaborated with the SOFRES and the Institute Roche for obesity in order to investigate the problem of weight in France. The result of their studies has allowed us to determine that 40 % of the French are concerned, of which 13 million are overweight and 4 million become obese. This problem affects many more men than women, with a rate of 46.3 per cent against 31.6 %.  The social factor remains the first cause of this problem. Its effects are harmful and dangerous, because there is not only a very important impact on the health of the person concerned, but they also affect his social life.
References:
obesity in France
Read more: Obesity in ehealthforum.com