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An excess of body fat—the defining characteristic of obesity—results from an imbalance between the amount of calories you take in and those you expend. The reasons for this imbalance are unclear, and the relationship between energy intake/expenditure and body fat storage and distribution varies from person to person. Factors that promote obesity include:

• genetic predisposition

• family history of obesity

• age

• behavioral factors (including a high-fat or high-calorie diet and sedentary lifestyle)

Measuring Obesity

Assessing your weight to determine if you are obese involves two key measurements—body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Understanding your risk factors for conditions associated with obesity, according to clinical practice guidelines issued by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is important. First, your health care professional should determine your body mass index (BMI), which describes your body weight relative to your height. It is strongly correlated with total body fat content in adults. Your BMI is your weight in pounds divided by your height in inches squared, then multiplied by 705. The following chart shows body mass indices for people of various heights and weights. To determine your BMI, find the row that most closely approximates your weight. Read across the row until it crosses the column closest to your height.