Facts About Obesity and Overweight

v  The terms "overweight" and "obesity" refer to a person's overall body weight and whether it's too high. Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat.

v  Millions of Americans and people worldwide are overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese puts you at risk for many diseases and conditions, including coronary heart disease; high blood pressure; type 2 diabetes; gallstones; breathing problems; and certain cancers.

v  Your weight is the result of many factors. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), behavior or habits, and more.

v  A lack of energy balance most often causes overweight and obesity. Energy balance means that your energy IN equals your energy OUT. Energy IN is the amount of energy you get from food and drinks.

v  Energy OUT is the amount of energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active. To maintain a healthy weight, energy IN and energy OUT should balance over time.

v  The most useful measure of overweight and obesity is body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat, and it's a good gauge of your risk of diseases that occur with more body fat. You can calculate your BMI using the BMI calculator we provide, or your health care provider can calculate your BMI.

v  Children's BMI is calculated based on growth charts for their age and sex. This is called BMI-for-age percentile

v  Treatment for overweight and obesity includes lifestyle changes. These changes mean cutting back on calories, following a healthy eating plan, being physically active, and making behavioral changes.

v  When lifestyle changes aren't enough, other treatment options for some people are weight-loss medicines and surgery.

v  Some over-the-counter products claim to promote weight loss. The FDA doesn't regulate these products and they generally aren't recommended.

v  Following a healthy lifestyle can help you prevent overweight and obesity. Many lifestyle habits begin during childhood. Thus, parents and families should encourage their children to make healthy choices.

v  Healthy choices include following a healthy eating plan, watching food portion sizes, being active, reducing screen time (TVs, computers, DVDs, and videogames), and keeping track of your weight.

v  If you're overweight or obese, you may benefit from taking part in a clinical trial. Clinical trials test new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat various diseases and conditions. For more information about clinical trials related to overweight and obesity, talk with your doctor.