What are the Health Problems Associated with Obesity?
For my fourth and final post on this blog, I decided to research the health effects of obesity. There is an enormous amount of research that has been conducted on the obesity epidemic in the United States and other nations, and seeking out reputable sources for solid information is key to making informed decisions about one's health. Image Source: Stock photo Being overweight or obese, a condition also referred to as “adiposity,” is caused by an increase in the size and number of adipose cells in the body, otherwise known as fat cells. Physicians can determine obesity by calculating a person’s ‘body mass index’ (BMI) taking into account height, weight, and age, or take body circumference measurements such as a waist-to-hip ratio. (NHLBI, 2020). A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal weight, 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. (NIDDK, 2020). In terms of waist circumference, men should aim to have a waist measuring less than 40 in
