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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Obese Americans now outweigh the merely overweight
2009-01-12
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government.

Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. It said just under 6 percent are "extremely" obese.

"More than one-third of adults, or over 72 million people, were obese in 2005-2006, the NCHS said in its report.

The numbers are based on a survey of 4,356 adults over the age of 20 who take part in a regular government survey of health, said the NCHS, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The figures come from the 2005-2006 survey and are the most current available.

"During the physical examination, conducted in mobile examination centers, height and weight were measured as part of a more comprehensive set of body measurements," the NCHS report said.

"Although the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980, the prevalence of overweight has remained stable over the same time period," it said.

Obesity and overweight are calculated using a formula called body mass index. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Someone with a BMI of 25 to 29 is classified as overweight, 30 to 40 counts as obese and people with BMIs of 40 or more are morbidly obese.

A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes overweight at 150 pounds (68 kg) and obese at 180 pounds (82 kg). The U.S. National Institutes of Health has an online BMI calculator at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

In the 1988-1994 surveys, 33 percent of Americans were overweight, 22.9 percent were obese and 2.9 percent were morbidly obese. The numbers have edged up steadily since.

Being overweight or obese raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and other conditions.

In May, the CDC reported that 32 percent of U.S. children fit the definition of being overweight, 16 percent were obese and 11 percent were extremely obese.

Childhood and adult obesity has emerged as a growing problem not only in the United States but also in many countries around the world.
Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#12  What really matters of the body mass to fat ratio.

Unfortunately under any measurements -- I have a "Dunlap" :(
Posted by: CrazyFool   2009-01-12 22:18  

#11  BMI is a bullshit indicator.

Google the USMC's ht/wt standards - if you want to see a realist ht/wt range for your body type.

I think they're pretty reasonable - e.g. - I'm 5'7" and weigh abt 160 - by the Corps' standards I'm 16 lbs under my wt max for my ht - by BMI standards I'm just abt a lb from being "overweight." Mind you, I can do abt 18-20 dead hang pullups, run 3 miles in around 20-21 mins and still do 100 crunches in under 2 min's. BMI is total horse shit. I don't have a true 6 pack at the moment but I definitely don't have a "dunlap". The BMI doesn't take into account bone structure or muscle mass.
Posted by: Flease and Tenille aka Broadhead6   2009-01-12 21:44  

#10  Hey OP, I hear ya.

I SAID I'm 6'3' cause that's what I was and your bones don't shrink so the weight chart should still work. I'm really down to 6'1". Add up the decrease in the thickness of the disks shown by my last MRI and you can find the 2", 1/4" at a time.
Posted by: AlanC   2009-01-12 18:13  

#9  When I got married in 1966, I was 5'10 1/2" tall and weighed 205 pounds, with a 32" waist. I was considered in my "ideal" weight range. Today, 42 years later, I'm 5'8 3/4" tall (degenerative disk disease, bad knees, hips, etc.), have a 37" waist, and weigh 210. Now I'm considered "obese". I still can't float in a swimming pool.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2009-01-12 18:05  

#8  Before the government screwed with the charts in the 90s, the height and weight data was accumulated by the insurance industry for calculating their life insurance tables. They gathered data from a vast number of people over decades [vice the 5000 the government used as a sample]. Since the insurance industry was literally beating their money on the process, I would say the older tables had a quality assurance aspect that the government agency did not.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-01-12 15:45  

#7  Don't forget, according to the BMI, Arnold Schwartzenegger was obese in his Mr. Universe days.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2009-01-12 14:54  

#6  
My doctor has never warned me about my weight beyond saying I could afford to lose 15lbs. Never told me my BMI or told me to look at it.

Just went to a BMI calculator.

I'm 6'3" tall and weigh 238 with a 37" waistline. According to BMI I am overwieght / borderline obese (29.7).

When I met my wife 35 years ago I was a very scrawny 170lbs. She always complained that she could count my ribs...in the back! According to BMI 170 lbs is exactly in the middle of the normal range.

This is obscene.

I think it may be getting to the point where some sort of revolutionary movement may be needed in this country to save us from the insanity.
Posted by: AlanC   2009-01-12 14:47  

#5  My sister in law is pretty fat.

But, she managed to go from overweight to obese while losing 15 lbs. Seems they changed the chart. Seems they could change it back just as easy.
Posted by: AlanC   2009-01-12 14:37  

#4  Exactly. Wichita KS was fine for air quality until the EPA dropped the acceptable limit now they face millions in fines.

According to the standards this survey would include nearly every High School, College, Pro, and recreational athlete. 4,356 adults over twenty hardly comprehensive. Arn't they suggesting an increase in tax for fast food joints in CA?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2009-01-12 12:58  

#3  The BMI is crap, just like the old height weight charts. Probably worse since it doesn't take any account of body type.

You want to fix the problem? Just change the number. This will be used by the nanny staters and power mad as another excuse to control us.

See gerbil worming and light bulbs.
Posted by: AlanC   2009-01-12 09:49  

#2  Childhood and adult obesity has emerged as a growing problem not only in the United States but also in many countries around the world.

Damn, just when we seem to be on the edge of victory over thousands of years of human experience with famine and malnutrition. I think Zim Bob may be on the leading edge to address the obesity "crisis".
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-01-12 08:29  

#1  So, you think the states that removed sales tax off of food [you know, so granny didn't have to eat cat food], will now reimpose it as a fat weight management tax?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-01-12 08:26  

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