Obesity is also defined as a BMI (body mass index) over 30 kg/m2. Patients with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight, but not obese.

More than half of the U.S. population is overweight. But being obese is different from being overweight. An adult male is considered obese when his weight is 20% or more over the maximum desirable for their height; a woman is considered obese at 25% or more than this maximum weight. Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese.

Rates of obesity are climbing. An ominous statistic is that the percentage of children and adolescents who are obese has doubled in the last 20 years.

The basic nutritional needs of most people are approximately 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men. However, people who are very active, such as professional athletes or manual laborers, may need 4,000 or more. Pregnant women and nursing mothers require about 300-500 more calories/day than women who are neither pregnant nor nursing.

The body cannot store protein or carbohydrates, so excess protein or carbohydrate intake is converted to fat for storage. One pound of fat represents about 3,500 excess calories.

Obesity increases a person's risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. Obesity may increase the risk for some types of cancer. It is also a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.

Genetic factors play some part in the development of obesity -- children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight.

Common Obesity Causes: Consumption of more food than the body can use, Excess alcohol intake, Sedentary lifestyle

Home Care to help prevent an increase in weight:
Avoid the following: Excess alcohol consumption, stress, depression, boredom and frustration

Avoid a sedentary lifestyle by increasing your activity level:
Perform aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week
Increase physical activity in general by walking rather than driving
Climb stairs rather than using an elevator or escalator
Reduce consumption of food that is high in fat and sugar

For additional help in losing weight:
Join a support group. Many people find it easier to follow a reduction diet and exercise program if they join a group of people with similar problems.
Avoid over-the-counter drugs that claim to aid in weight loss -- most are ineffective, and some can be dangerous.
Also, be sure to set realistic goals for weight reduction. A loss of 1 to 2.5 pounds a week may seem slow, but losing weight too fast often does not work. Weight lost quickly is usually regained quickly.

Weight Management
It simply means eating more fiber (can cause bad diarrhea / constipation) or burning up more calories than you need. Eating smaller portions and choosing foods that are low in total fat (as fat is a major contributor to calories), and controlling your intake of carbohydrates are essential to maintaining your desired weight.
Establishing a regular exercise routine and supplementing properly with vitamins is equally important.

If you plan to use a low calorie diet, low sugar diet, or any diet, and you suffer from obesity, you definitely should be examined and monitored by a doctor while dieting.

PRODUCT SERVICES AND RESOURCES
USDA Nutrition Reference Tool - Nutritional data of just about any food.
American Dietetic Association - This site has information about many health related subjects.
American Heart Association - This site has information about everything ranging from your heart and exercise to strokes and heart attacks.

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Other Weight Loss Products
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Many people think that if some is good, a lot is better. This is not always the case, and high doses of certain vitamins are actually toxic. Read about the specific vitamins and check with your health care provider if you are unsure about how much to take -- and how much may be too much.