The body mass index classification defines obesity as the BMI that is more than 30 for an average adult. BMI is defined as the ratio of your weight and your height. A BMI that is in the range of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy; that in the range of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight for an average built adult.
Hip to waist ratio is an indirect measure of abdominal obesity. For females, this ratio should be less than 0.8, and in males, it should be less than 0.9 for health measures. Below is the chart explaining the low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk ratio.
Waist to Hip Ratio Chart
Do you know that obesity is related to many health risks, and it is among the most significant risk factors in the development of certain diseases? Well, let us elaborate it more here. Below are the major health conditions that can result from being obese:
1. Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes or insulin-resistant diabetes “usually” develops in obese middle aged patients (after age of 40 years or so-and in 85 percent of obese population) in whom the excessive adipose tissue serves to resist insulin actions.
2. Coronary heart disease and strokes: With increased body fat, it is deposited in the blood vessels that can lead on to the formation of thickened wall of these blood vessels (atherosclerosis). This in turn can reduce the lumen of these blood vessels, making them less capable of transmitting the blood to various body parts. Heart blood vessels (known as coronary blood vessels)are commonly affected in this, and can lead to myocardial damage due to lack of blood flow in the form of angina or myocardial infarction (heart attack). When blood vessels of brain are involved, this can lead on to strokes.
3. Gallstones: Formation of gallstones is often linked to increased body fat.
4. Cancer: Obesity is linked to the development of cancer in the esophagus (food pipe), stomach, and colon (large intestine). In some post-menopausal women, obesity can also lead to the development of breast cancer due to the formation of excessive estrogen by the fat cells that in turn can predispose to breast cancer.
5. Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is also linked to obesity. It tends to occur more commonly in obese individuals.
6. Osteoarthritis: Being overweight puts more pressure on the weight-bearing joints of the body (such as knee joint, ankle joint, hip joint, lumbar spine). Constant pressure on these joints can lead on to the development of osteoarthritis.
7. Fatty Liver: Liver is the main organ in controlling our body’s fat metabolism. When we store excessive fat in our body, liver’s capacity to metabolize gets saturated, and the excessive fat starts accumulating in the liver itself. This can result in decreased overall functioning of liver.
8. Pregnancy complications: If you put on excessive weight (more than expected) while you are pregnant, this can lead on to development of gestational diabetes (a diabetes occurring in pregnant females), pre-eclampsia (increased blood pressure in pregnant patients), delivery problems due to big-baby (cesarean, and its complications related to delivery of big-sized babies).
All these complications can be prevented by weight loss.
Obesity-Reverse it!!
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