How to Diagnose Obesity

Many people are concerned when they begin to gain weight and may go on all kinds of diets to lose that excess weight, however, there are more and more individuals that are struggling with obesity and cannot seem to win the battle.

There are different ways in which to diagnose obesity with the most common way being to learn the Body Mass Index with the circumference of the waist coming in second place.

Chart

In order to learn your body mass index or BMI, a specific chart is used to determine your BMI number. You can speak with your doctor about the chart or even find one online to learn your body mass index number. With an online chart, you put in your height and weight push the submit button and you will be given your BMI. The healthy range is between 18.4 to 24.9, overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obesity begins with a BMI of 30 or higher.

Waist Circumference

The second most popular way to diagnose obesity is by waist circumference. The first thing to remember is that there are many different body shapes. Those with an apple shape where the body fat is seen more around the waist or upper body are at greater risk of developing health conditions related to obesity than those with a pear shaped body that carries more excess weight in their hips, thighs, and lower body.

To measure the waist circumference, you need a tape measure that measures in inches. Women should have a waist circumference less than 35 inches, whereas men should have a waist circumference less than 40 inches.

Visiting your physician can also aid in learning if you are obese. At practically every visit, you will be weighed and your doctor should have your height on record. In the majority of cases, you will find a weight and height chart in your doctor’s office. You will need to decide if you have a small, medium, or large frame and then look for the range you should be in for your height and weight. If you are more than twenty percent over your ideal weight then you are considered obese.

Calipers

Some individuals use fat calipers to determine if they are overweight or obese. The calipers measures the body fat on various parts on body. There are different computations for the different areas of the body measured. In most cases, the areas measured include the hips, thighs, and the triceps. This method of diagnosing obesity is not as accurate as other methods as the calipers can be evaluated in different ways, which can give a false or inaccurate reading. Fat calipers are great for keeping track of your progress when losing weight but not really for determining obesity.

Bioelectrical Impedance Machine

Another machine used by some to diagnose obesity is the bioelectrical impedance machine. This machine measures the resistance of body tissue to the flow of a small electrical signal as well as the strength and speed of the electrical signal. This information is then used along with a person’s weight, height, and gender to predict how much body fat the person has. Many individuals especially those that work out at gyms prefer this method as the electrical signal measures not only the body fat but also the lean tissue and water.

If you believe you are overweight or are having problems with obesity, you should speak with your physician. Your physician will be able to help you decide if you are obese, overweight, and by checking your medical history, determine if you might be prone to obesity problems.