What is Normal Weight Obesity ?

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From the SF Examiner today:

What is normal weight obesity?

January 27, 1:14 PM

Women's Health Examiner

by LaQuanda Randall

of us judge our health by our appearance. If we look good in certain outfits

and our clothes are still fitting, we consider our weight to be a non-issue.

Some people have maintained the same pant or dress size for most of their lives.

As long as that size stays in the same range, there will be no cause for concern

regarding their health and fitness.

However, more than half of adult Americans who are considered to be of normal

weight, actually have a high percentage of body fat. According to the Mayo

Clinic, as many as 30 million Americans who are of normal weight, may have the

body fat of an obese person. This high body fat puts adults in jeopardy of

getting the same life threatening health risks of a clinically obese individual.

Those health risks include: diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high

blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome.

The researchers of the Mayo Clinic determined normal body weight by the use of

Body Mass Index or BMI. The normal body fat percentage of men is somewhere

between 18-26% and the normal body fat percentage of women is between 25-32%.

The body fat of male athletes range from 6-13% and female athletes range from

14-20%. Those individuals with normal BMI who also have a higher than normal

body fat percentage would fall into the category of normal weight obesity.

How do you measure body fat? The methods for measuring body fat range from the

primitive and inexpensive to the highly technological and pricey. Skinfold

calipers have been the standard in measuring body fat for many years. Although

the method is not a perfect estimation, it is a good tool for the evaluation of

body fat composition. Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry or DXA is a newer and

much more accurate method for determining body fat composition. However, this

method could be quite expensive.

ABC.com reports today that doctors are not recommending body fat percentage

testing for persons concerned about being normal weight obese. The waistline

may be the key to determining if you are at a normal or healthy weight. Extra

pounds around the mid-section is the most dangerous aspect of being overweight.

The extra fat puts stress and strain on the heart and lungs. Having extra fat

around the waist and love handles puts your health at the greatest risk.

If you are concerned about being obese or normal weight obese, there are ways to

jump into action. The weight loss business is in full swing and there are plenty

of options for you to choose from. Centers such as Medical Weight Loss Clinic

focus on a medical approach to weight loss and normalizing body fat. While

facilities such as Curves concentrates on increasing physical activity with both

cardio and strength training exercise. Both offer locations throughout the US.

Talk to your doctor to explore options.