Obesity statistics
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Over half of the adults in
our country are overweight and 1 in 4 is classified as obese. 5-10 million Americans are considered to be morbidly obese. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable
deaths second only to smoking. It is responsible for over 300,000 deaths per year.
On the
average, morbidly obese individuals die 10-15 years earlier than normal weight persons.
Definition of Obesity
Obesity is defined as excess fat tissue. Obesity is recongnized as a chronic disease, which
can be treated but not cured. Clinically, obesity is generally defined two ways. An increase
of 20 percent or more above your “ideal body weight” is considered obese.
Medically the word “morbid” means causing disease or injury. Obesity becomes morbid
when it reaches the point of significantly increasing the risk of developing serious or lifethreatening conditions, which are know as co-morbidities. Morbid obesity is typically defined as being 100 lbs. or more above ideal body weight or having a BMI of 40 or higher. Morbid obesity is also know as Clinically Severe Obesity or Grade III Obesity.
Another method of determining obesisty is the Body Mass Index, or BMI.
The BMI uses a person’s height and weight to calculate a value that corresponds to the
degree of health risk a person has.
The Weight Loss Clinic 4315 Londonderry Road Harrisburg, PA 17109
Phone:(717) 909-0290
Fax:(717)
909-0292
The Weight Loss Clinic
at Robinwood
1110 Professional Court
Suite 201
Hagerstown, MD 21740
