Obesity is a major health issue in North America and several European countries. Currently more than 50 percent of the total population living in the United States is thought to be having either overweight or obesity. Incidence of obesity is showing an upward trend in both males and females. Of all U.S. women who are 20 years and older, about 64 million can be considered as overweight and more than 34 million could be considered as obese

Obesity is linked to significant health hazards and increase death rates. Obese persons are more susceptible to suffer from coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and a variety of other medical conditions. It is very important that we all eat a healthy diet and routinely maintain a program of physical activity throughout our life. To lose weight and keep your weight over time, try making long-term modifications in your dietary and physical activity habits.

Measuring the exact quantity of a person's body fat level is not easy. The most accurate measures of body fat are weighing the person in question underwater or inside a chamber that uses the principle of air displacement to estimate body volume, or to use an X-ray technique called DEXA. Body fat measurements don't have to be so complex. There are many simpler methods to evaluate fat content of the body. One is to estimate the thickness of the fat layer just under the skin in various parts of the body. Another consists of passing a small amount of electricity through a person's body to measure conductivity. Results from these tests, can however be, less than accurate especially if done by an inexperienced person or on someone with extreme obesity.


Because directly measuring body fat content is cumbersome, physicians and other health care workers often use other means to diagnose obesity. These include charts estimating weight based on height, and body mass index estimations. These are good estimates of body fat content even though less accurate than tests that use direct measurements of body fat content.

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