Obesity Related Diseases - Childhood Obesity Figures Statistics on Obesity, Excess Weight, Overweight
Overweight: Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Individuals with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight.
Obesity: Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Individuals with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese.
BMI or body mass index: A number of methods are used to determine if someone is overweight or obese. Some are based on the relation between height and weight; others are based on measurements of body fat. The most commonly used method today is body mass index (BMI).
BMI or body mass index is found by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The mathematical formula is: weight (kg) / height squared (m²). To determine BMI using pounds and inches, multiply your weight in pounds by 704.5,* then divide the result by your height in inches, and divide that result by your height in inches a second time. (Or you can use this BMI Calculator).
Obese individuals have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with normal-weight individuals (BMI 20–25). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes. Life expectancy of a moderately obese person could be shortened by 2 to 5 years.
Wellspring Camps are the first comprehensive summer weight loss treatment programs for overweight children and youth adults. more on weight loss camps...
For many overweight children and teens, their physical health and well-being is the least of their problems. Much more relevant is the teasing, taunting and poor treatment they receive from other children at school and in the community. read...
Cancer and Obesity
While direct prevalence information is not available, a recent study found that people whose BMI was 40 or more had death rates from cancer that were 52 percent higher for men and 62 percent higher for women than rates for normal-weight men and women.