Have Problem With Obesity

What's Obesity ?

Obesity is too much body fat. It's because too much fatty food. Our body is contain of minerals, protein, water, carbohydrate, various vitamins and fat . If you have too much fat — in your waist area especially — you're at higher risk for health problems, including high blood cholesterol, stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Obesity is like a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. Some reasons that obesity can influence heart attack, for example :

• can induce diabetes. In some people, diabetes makes these other risk factors much worse. The danger of heart attack is especially high for these people.
• raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• raises blood pressure levels.
• lowers HDL "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is linked with lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing it tends to raise the risk.

When people eat too much saturated fat, or too many calories , trans fat and cholesterol, their blood cholesterol levels will be rise. That raises their risk of heart disease. Obesity is mainly caused by taking in more calories than are used up in physical activity and daily life.

How is body fat measured?

Waist circumference measurement and body mass index (BMI) are the recommended ways to estimate body fat. A high-risk waistline is 35 inches or higher for women, and 40 inches or higher for men.

The body mass index formula assesses body weight relative to height. It's a useful, indirect measure of body composition, because in most people it correlates highly with body fat. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²). Or multiply weight in pounds by 703, divide by height in inches, then divide again by height in inches. In studies by the National Center for Health Statistics,

• BMI values less than 18.5 are considered underweight.
  
• BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are normal.
  
• Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to less than 30.0 (consistent with U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans). A BMI of about 25 kg/m² corresponds to about 10 percent over ideal body weight.
  
• Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater (consistent with criteria of the World Health Organization), or about 30 pounds or more overweight. Extreme obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or greater.

See "Body Composition Tests" in this guide for more detailed information and a BMI risk level table for adults.

Related AHA publications:

• Heart and Stroke Facts
• Managing Your Weight
• Just Move! (also in Spanish)
• Easy Food Tips for Heart-Healthy Eating (also in Spanish)
• Reading Food Labels: A Handbook for People With Diabetes, order from American Diabetes Association (1-800-232-3472)
• Tips for Eating Out
• Six Steps to a Healthier Heart
• Printable sheets from our Answers By Heart kit include: "How Can I Cook Healthfully?", "How Do I Follow a Healthy Diet?", "How Can I Manage My Weight?", "What About Eating Out?", "How Do I Read Food Labels?", "How Do I Change Recipes?" (some topics also in Spanish kit)

Related AHA Scientific Statements:
Obesity