When are you obese?
Obesity is a weight-related disease affecting many people. When are you considered obese? From what BMI? We reveal the answers in this article!
What is obesity?
Obesity is an excess of fat causing various health disadvantages. According to the World Health Organization, it is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity poses health risks. When it reaches a very advanced stage at which the excess fat approaches significant proportions, it can be the cause of several other ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or respiratory disorders.
This surplus is generally caused by an imbalance in the energy balance. In fact, the metabolism of the human body is regulated by energy intake influenced on the one hand by food intake and by energy expenditure. They themselves are influenced on the other hand by resting metabolism, energy expenditure related to daily physical activity, and the thermic effect of food. The origin of obesity is therefore the increase in intake and the decrease in expenditure . In some cases, this imbalance can be temporary or transitory. But in cases of excess fat and reckless weight gain, it settles over time and becomes chronic .
In addition, other factors influence weight gain. These include, for example, hormonal disorders, psychological, genetic, family and societal factors in some cases.
The Body Mass Index (BMI), the basic indicator of obesity
The WHO defines BMI as a tool to assess the degree of obesity. It indicates the ideal range of weight according to height, and therefore makes it possible to determine when one is obese. BMI is calculated by dividing body mass in kilograms by height in meters and then squaring the result. The normal BMI value is 20 to 25 in men, and 19 to 24 in women.
From these values, we speak:
- overweight when a person has a BMI between 25 and 29.9;
- moderate obesity when a person has a BMI between 30 and 35;
- severe obesity when a person has a BMI between 35 and 40;
- morbidly obese for a BMI over 40.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.