Obesity is a medical condition characterized by storage of excess body fat. The human body naturally stores fat tissue under the skin and around organs and joints. Fat is critical for good health because it is a source of energy when the body lacks the energy necessary to sustain life processes, and it provides insulation and protection for internal organs. But the accumulation of too much fat in the body is associated with a variety of health problems (Bryan, 2001). Studies show that individuals who are 20 percent or more overweight run a greater risk of developing diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some forms of cancer.
Most physicians use the body mass index (BMI) to determine desirable weights. BMI is calculated metrically as weight divided by height (kg/m2). People with a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 are considered overweight and people with a BMI of 30 or above are considered obese.
Weight-height tables, such as those published by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, are also used as general measures of desirable weight ranges. These tables assign a range of weights for a particular height (Bryan, 2001). For example, a man of 1.8 m (5 ft, 9 in) has a desirable weight range of 66 to 83 kg (146 to 183 lb), with an average of 75 kg (165 lb). A woman who is 1.6 m (5 ft, 3 in) has a desirable range between 53 and 70 kg (117 and 154 lb), with an average of 62 kg (137 lb) (Bryan, 2001).
The BMI and weight-height tables only provide rough estimates of desirable weights and scientists recognize that many other factors besides height affect weight. Weight alone may not be an indicator of fat, as in the case of a bodybuilder who may have a high BMI because......
