Am I Overweight or Obese?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 32 percent of American women 20 years of age and older are considered obese. What's the difference between being obese and being overweight? The defining characteristic in both overweight and obese people is excess body fat. The difference is a matter of degree.

It's important to talk to your health care professional about the right weight for you. He or she can help you figure out what is healthy for you, and assess your risk for obesity.

One measure of obesity is your body mass index (BMI), which is a simple method you can do at home. Your BMI can be determined by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiplying by 703. Click here to use our simple BMI calculator.

For example, a woman who is 5'6" and weighs 190 would have a BMI of 31, as follows:
5'6" = 66 inches
66 squared = 4,356
190 divided by 4,356 = 0.0436
0.0436 x 703 = 30.65 (rounded up to 31)

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered within the normal, healthy range; 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; 30 or more is considered obese; and 40 or greater is considered extremely obesity.

Exceptions to the rule

While this formula is a basic guideline, it is not a hard and fast rule. BMI is also adjusted for age and gender in people under age 18. Also, if a person has more muscle mass than normal, these numbers won't apply. For instance, an athlete who has more muscle mass and less body fat than normal might have a BMI as high as 30 and yet not be obese.

If you think this might be the case with you, ask your health care professional to measure your body composition, which is the percentage of lean muscle and fat. The most common test uses a caliper-like device to measure skinfold thickness and subcutaneous fat, which lies just under the skin at targeted sites such as the back of your upper arm, waist or thigh. The accuracy of skinfold thickness measurements depends on the skill of the examiner and may vary widely.