Overcoming Obesity

Your weight is the second most important factor (after smoking) in your long-term health. It plays a major role in your risk for many health problems: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, several forms of cancer(breast, endometrial, colon, prostate, and kidney), arthritis, gallstones, adult-onset asthma, infertility, sleep apnea, and even snoring. Your waist size is also important, as is how much weight you have gained since your early 20s. What determines whether you're overweight isn't the bathroom scale, but rather a scientific calculation of weight in relation to height called the body mass index (BMI). More than half of American adults are either overweight (with a BMI of 25–29) or obese (with a BMI of 30 or higher), according to the CDC.

Your weight is determined partly by genetics; some people are born with a tendency toward overweight. But you can control your weight to a considerable degree by limiting how much you eat and getting regular physical activity — an hour a day of moderately strenuous activity such as walking at a brisk pace, or half an hour a day of strenuous activity, such as jogging or singles tennis.

There is some controversy over just what constitutes a healthy BMI. The USDA places it at 18.5–25, but Harvard's nutrition researchers think that a BMI of 22 or less is optimal. When BMI goes above 22, the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure begins to climb. If your BMI is below 25, try to avoid gaining weight. Even better, work to lower your BMI to an optimal 22. However, losing weight without trying can be a sign of illness, so if you notice this happening, see your doctor.

In addition to your BMI, your body shape can affect your risk of disease. If your body stores excess fat in the abdomen — a pattern called an "apple" shape — your risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes is higher than if you have a "pear" shape, with fat stored in the hips and thighs. Equations for calculating your waist-to-hip ratio are easy to find in magazines and on the Internet, but it's easier and more accurate simply to measure your waistline periodically. Take action if your measurement starts to creep up. If you've already gained inches at the waistline over the years, try to shed some inches by cutting calories and adding exercise.