The Differences Between Being Overweight and Obese
Many people are carrying a few extra pounds and then there are those who are definitely overweight the far side of the spectrum is those who are carrying so much extra weight to be classified as being obese. What are the differences between being overweight and obese regarding health and other factors?
To determine the difference based on body mass index (BMI) if an adult is between 25 and 29.9 BMI they are considered to be overweight. If an adult is 30 BMI or higher they are considered to be obese.
Children and teens have a different definition for overweight and being obese than adults do. The BMI ranges for children and teens take into account the normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and the differences in body fat for the different age groups.
The health risks are different for individuals who are overweight than they are for individuals who are considered to be obese.
Because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute also looks at the individual’s waist circumference and any other health risk factors the individual may have for diseases or conditions including high blood pressure and a sedentary lifestyle. Your risk for obesity related health issues increases if your adult waist circumference is over 40 inches for males and over 35 inches for females. The other health-related risk factors are having high blood pressure (hypertension), having a high LDL-cholesterol (bad) or low HDL-cholesterol (good), if your triglycerides are high, or if you have high blood glucose levels, or have a family history of premature heart disease, have a lifestyle of being physically inactive or smoke tobacco products.
Individuals who are considered to be overweight would benefit by monitoring their weight to be sure they are not edging towards being obese. Speak with your doctor about your weight to see if you could benefit from any lifestyle changes such as improved diet or increased activity level.
Individuals who are considered to be obese would definitely benefit from losing weight. Even if they lost just 10% of what they currently weight it would lower the risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.
The differences between being overweight and obese is in the risk factor you carry for weight related illnesses and conditions. Individuals who are obese stand a much higher risk for heart attack and stoke. They are putting their very life in danger by gaining more weight and by not taking action to reduce what they weigh. There are many programs out there that are legit. Your doctor is the best person to seek advice from regarding weight loss programs. Weight loss must be done in a safe fashion or you run the risk of other health problems. Individuals who are overweight need to heed warnings about gaining more weight and should monitor weight carefully so they do not gain any more weight.