Height, Weight & BMI

What is overweight? Obese? 

WHO (World Health Organization) defines overweight and obesity as follows:

overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25

obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.

 Health concerns r/t weight:

Raised BMI is a major risk factor for diseases such as:cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), which were the leading cause of death in 2012; diabetes; musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis – a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints); some cancers (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon).

Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death and disability in adulthood.

In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects.