• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Wellness / Weight Loss / Are You Overweight Or Obese?

Are You Overweight Or Obese?

A close-up of a woman weighing herself What is the difference between overweight and being obese? Are you a little over your healthy weight or are fast-approaching obesity?

Doctors usually define “overweight” as a condition in which a person’s weight is 10%-20% higher than “normal,” as defined by a standard height/weight chart, or as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30.

Obesity is usually defined as a condition in which a person’s weight is 20% or more above normal weight or as a BMI of 30 or more. “Morbid obesity” means a person is either 50%-100% over normal weight, more than 100 pounds over normal weight, or sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with health or normal functioning.

Approximately 60 million Americans, nearly one-third of all adults and about one in five children, are obese. In 2008, only one state — Colorado — had an obesity rate less than 20%.

You May Also Like
13 Signs You Need to See a Dermatologist

What Do Overweight & Obesity Mean?

Overweight and obesity are words used to describe a person’s weight that is greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that can increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems. Obesity impacts how you live and how you feel, both emotionally and physically. Obesity can affect your emotional health by lowering your self-esteem (you just don’t feel good about yourself), causing depression, making you feel uncomfortable in social situations, and significantly lowering your overall quality of life.

Obesity is now considered the number one health risk facing America. Obesity results in an estimated 400,000 deaths per year in the United States, and it costs the national economy nearly $122.9 billion dollars each year. It can increase your risk for developing many serious medical conditions and diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, polyscystic ovary syndrome, and many other ailments.

RELATED: The Cost of Obesity

What Makes You Overweight Or Obese?

Many things play a part in affecting your weight. However, the basic cause comes from an energy imbalance: you are eating too many calories and not burning enough calories during your day. Managing your weight is all about balance – calories count! To avoid becoming overweight or obese, you want to try to balance the number of calories you eat with the number of calories your body “burns off” each day. And, remember, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it came from: carbohydrates, fats, sugars, and proteins all contain calories.

There are several tests that can be performed to determine if you are overweight or obese. But, measuring the exact amount of a person’s body fat is not an easy task. Some tests are more accurate than others.

You May Also Like
7 Proven Ways to Cure an Upset Stomach

CHECK THIS: The Top 7 Dangers Of Being Overweight

What Tests Are Available to Diagnose Obesity?

Hydrostatic body fat test. This is the most accurate test given to assess body fat. During the test, you are submerged in water while your underwater weight is recorded. This test is usually done at research and academic centers, but the test is also now done with mobile units.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This is another very accurate way to assess body fat. During this test, the person must lay flat for approximately 20 to 30 minutes while every section of his or her body is systematically X-rayed in a CT scanner.

Unfortunately, these methods, however accurate, are not practical for the average person, and are generally done only in research centers with special equipment. As a result, doctors have developed easier methods to determine if a person is overweight or obese. These include:

Calipers. A caliper is a device that is used to measure the amount of body fat on different parts of the body. Special computations provide your percentage of body fat based on the various measurements of skinfold thickness. These devices are commonly used in health clubs and commercial weight loss centers, but the results are only accurate if performed correctly.

Bioelectrical Impedance, or BIA. This technique uses a machine that sends harmless and painless electricity through a person’s body to measure each of the different kinds of tissue in the body. These include the amount of muscle and other lean tissue as well as the amount of fat and water in their body. The greater amount of fat a person has the greater the resistance the electrical signal encounters. BIA is very accurate and is often available to the public for purchase or can be found at gyms and rehabilitation centers as well as doctors’ offices.

Height/weight charts. Special tables can be used to determine if a person is overweight or obese. To get your ideal weight, you find your height on the chart, decide if you are thick, medium, or thin framed and then you can find the range of your ideal weights separate for males and females. However, this technique is not always accurate. For example, the height/weight tables could indicate that a lean, muscular person is “overweight” (muscle weighs more than fat) while a person whose weight is within the “normal” range might actually be carrying around more fatty tissue than is healthy.

Body mass index. The BMI is now the most common tool used to measure obesity. It measures your weight relative to your height. The ideal range is 18.5-24.9. A person with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight and a BMI 30 to 39.9 indicates obesity and a BMI 40 and above indicates morbid obesity. This technique has the same drawback as the height/weight charts — it does not take into account if a person is very muscular.

READ: What Is BMI & How Can I Calculate It?

March 27, 2013 by Ellis Moore, Staff Writer

Read Next Article

The Latest In Weight Loss

how to speed up your metabolism

5 Ways To Speed Up Your Metabolism…A Lot!

The human body is funny…one minute, you’re eating cookies all the time and thinking it’s great if you actually managed to get in four hours of sleep – and still can fit all your clothes. The next minute, umm…not so read more about 5 Ways To Speed Up Your Metabolism…A Lot!
grapefruit juice

Drink This Before Every Meal To Lose Weight

For some of us, as we grew up, our parents told us to finish eating our meal before we had our drink. Many of them did this so that we could get the nutrients of the food and not get read more about Drink This Before Every Meal To Lose Weight
robert browne weight loss

120+ Weight Loss: “Be Better Than Your Best Excuse”

We receive so many different feature requests each week, but this one stood out. Just imagine playing in the sport that you love only to be taken out by an injury that not only changes the course of your life read more about 120+ Weight Loss: “Be Better Than Your Best Excuse”
emotional eating

Are You An Emotional Eater?

Does this sound familiar: “My boss is getting on my last nerve today…I need a juicy burger with cheese fries!” or, “My bills are stressing me out…a piece of chocolate cake has my name on it!”. Emotional eating is driven read more about Are You An Emotional Eater?
chronic disease prevention

Chronic Disease Prevention: It’s Never Too Late

Prevention! It is one of the buzzwords that pops up these days during conversations about health and wellness. We all know that it is important to eat in moderation and increase our exercise routine to help avoid serious diseases. On read more about Chronic Disease Prevention: It’s Never Too Late
summer body

Start Working On Your Summer Body Now! Here’s How

If you want to achieve summer body goals, you have to start preparing now. Let's face it, motivating ourselves to workout or go to the gym is never easy. It's especially tough during the colder months when all we want read more about Start Working On Your Summer Body Now! Here’s How

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • 10 Signs You’re Living With Clogged Arteries 10 Signs You’re Living With Clogged Arteries
  • Tracee Ellis Ross at 50: Loving Her Body With No FilterTracee Ellis Ross at 50: Loving Her Body With No Filter
  • Like Father, Like Son: ‘Miami Vice’ Star’s Son Handsome Like his DaddyLike Father, Like Son: 'Miami Vice' Star's Son Handsome Like his Daddy
  • 7 Foods That Replenish Your Liver 7 Foods That Replenish Your Liver
  • Mo’Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: “I Love Us For Real”Mo'Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: "I Love Us For Real"

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.