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While Americans' fat consumption has decreased over the past several decades from 37 percent to 33 percent, their rate of obesity has risen from 12 percent in 1991 to as much as 32 percent today. One reason: Americans are eating more calories than they did 30 years ago, and the rate of increase is three times greater in women than men. American women have increased the amount of calories they eat each day by more than 300.
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Another contributing factor to obesity: less than one-third of Americans meet basic activity level recommendations and an estimated 25 percent are completely sedentary.
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Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and contributes to $117 billion a year in health care costs. The American Obesity Association estimates that 34 percent of American women 20 years of age and older are obese.
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One measure of obesity is your body mass index (BMI), which can be determined by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiplying by 705. 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 = 4356
- 190 divided by 4356 = 0.0436
- 0.0436 x 705 = 30.75 (rounded up to 31)
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If a woman's BMI is 30 or greater, she is considered obese. A BMI of 40 or more puts her in the severely obese category. However, if she has more muscle mass than normal, these numbers won't apply, and her health care professional should measure her body composition to determine her degree of overweight.
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If a woman's BMI is 30 or greater, she is considered obese. A BMI of 40 or more puts her in the extreme obese category. However, if she has more muscle mass than normal, these numbers won't apply, and her health care professional should measure her body composition to determine her degree of overweight.
If a woman's waist circumference is more than 35 inches, she is considered to have a high amount of visceral fat, which is the type of fat that surrounds the internal organs. This type of fat is associated with higher risk of certain diseases and conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
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If you eat 250 calories per day fewer than needed to maintain your weight, and exercise enough to burn an additional 250 calories a day, you will lose about a pound per week.
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Your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body needs just to maintain its basic functions, is determined by multiplying your current weight by 10. You need additional calories to provide energy for daily activities; the more active you are, the more calories you need.
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Obesity surgeries are usually successful. Patients who undergo restrictive surgery generally lose about half their body weight in the first year, and patients who undergo malabsorptive surgery usually lose weight quickly and report an average weight loss of 60 to 80 percent. Restrictive surgery is not as effective over the long run, however—as few as 20 percent of patients keep all the weight off after 10 years.
The current U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that women who want to manage body weight and prevent unhealthy weight gain engage in 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise on most or all days of the week. The best way to keep weight off once it's been lost is with 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, being careful not to exceed your specific daily calorie requirement.
