Obesity is a disease that affects nearly one-third of the adult American population (approximately 60 million). The number of overweight and obese Americans has continued to increase since 1960, a trend that is not slowing down. Today, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese. Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of American adults with obesity amount to approximately $100 billion.
Obesity is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths.
- Despite its toll taken in death and disability, obesity
does not receive the attention it deserves from government,
the health care profession or the insurance industry.
- Research is severely limited by a shortage of funds.
- Inadequate insurance coverage limits access to treatment.
- Discrimination and mistreatment of persons with obesity
is widespread and often considered socially acceptable.
Did You Know?
- Obesity is a chronic disease with a strong familial component.
- Obesity increases one's risk of developing conditions
such as high blood pressure, diabetes (type 2), heart disease,
stroke, gallbladder disease and cancer of the breast, prostate
and colon.
- Health insurance providers rarely pay for treatment of
obesity despite its serious effects on health.
- The tendency toward obesity is fostered by our environment:
lack of physical activity combined with high-calorie, low-cost
foods.
- If maintained, even weight losses as small as 10 percent of body
weight can improve one's health.
- The National Institutes of Health annually spends less
than 1.0 percent of its budget on obesity research.
- Persons with obesity are victims of employment and other
discrimination, and are penalized for their condition despite
many federal and state laws and policies.
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a mathematical calculation used to
determine whether a patient is overweight.
BMI is calculated by dividing a person's body weight in kilograms
by their height in meters squared (weight [kg] height [m]2)
or by using the conversion with pounds (lbs) and inches (in)
squared as shown below, This number can be misleading, however,
for very muscular people, or for pregnant or lactating women.
Calculating BMI
Being obese and being overweight are not the same condition.
A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese and a BMI between
25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.
There are many factors that impact a person's health risk
relative to their BMI such as a waist size, smoking, the types
of foods someone eats regularly, exercise, and medical conditions
associated with obesity including diabetes, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, and coronary heart disease.
The Role of the AOA
In the past, no one has spoken out for people with obesity.
The American Obesity Association (AOA) has been formed to
address obesity as a public health concern and to remove the
barriers to effective treatment through vigorous advocacy
and education.
