Maybe you’ve heard of the “obesity epidemic” as its recently been mentioned in the news. What specifically is obesity? To tackle this worldwide problem we must first take a step back and define what it is and why it’s a problem. Obesity is defined as being 120% or more than ideal body weight. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion adults are overweight or obese and 300 million of these people are considered clinically obese.1 The CDC reports that 2007-2008, there were 72.5 million Americans considered to be obese. 68% of adults over 20 years old are overweight or obese. If you want a breakdown of obesity prevalence by state, visit the CDC website. In 2009 Wisconsin fell into the 25-29% and Louisiana was >/= 30%. If you look at the map of obesity prevalence 2000-2009, it’s only getting worse.2
Ideal weight is based on height. You may have heard of body mass index or BMI. This is a formula that takes into account height versus weight and is used to determine whether someone is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.
BMI Scores and what they mean
- <18.5 underweight
- 18.5-24.9 normal weight
- 25-29.9 overweight
- >30 obese
Why is obesity important? Obesity can lead to other deadly and costly diseases– financial cost and quality of life costs. It is a risk factor for the following:3
- coronary artery disease
- high cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- stroke
- type II diabetes
- breast, cervical, endometrial, and liver cancer in women
- prostatic, colon, and rectal cancer in men
- pulmonary disease
- sleep apnea
- Premature arthritis
Obese individuals may have a hard time moving due to excess weight, pain, or low endurance. This can lead to losing independence with daily activities including shopping, bathing, cooking, and household chores. It can also lead to social isolation due to not being able to physically get out of the house or tolerate standing and walking prolonged periods.
Click here to figure out your BMI. Hopefully you are between 18.5 and 24.9, a normal weight. 4 If you fall into the 25-29.9 category, you’re overweight and should be serious about improving your health through diet and exercise so you don’t fall into the obese category. If your score is 30 or above, you fall into the obese category and should have a discussion with your doctor about how they can help you get to a healthier weight. This is usually a team approach and part of the action plan should include exercise and physical therapists are the best practitioners to help you overcome barriers to movement and exercise. Physical therapists are trained to evaluate BMI, endurance, strength, flexibility, balance, and posture to name a few. PTs are also trained to evaluate vital responses to exercise and determine appropriate exercise intensities based on heart rate, medical conditions, and blood pressure, ensuring the exercise action plan is a safe one. If pain is a barrier to exercise, physical therapists can give exercise recommendations that reduce or avoid discomfort. If you need to find a PT, go here. If you are a normal weight, be sure to keep your BMI healthy through a physically active lifestyle. If you’re considered overweight, now is the time to evaluate your diet and exercise. If you are obese, know that there is help right around the corner and YES it is possible to change that number with the help of your MD and PT.
Thanks to Magnus D on flickr.com for the great picture.
- “Obesity and Overweight” http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/ [↩]
- http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html [↩]
- McCance &Huether (2002). Pathophysiology 4th ed. Mosby: St. Louis [↩]
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi [↩]
MoniqueSerpasPT
My name is Monique Serpas, PT, DPT, OCS. I am a physical therapist and board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist practicing at the Southeast Louisiana Healthcare System in New Orleans, LA. I realize how difficult it can be to overcome an injury or manage a chronic condition and am focused on helping my clients achieve wellness through a physically active lifestyle. I treat orthopaedic, balance, and vestibular disorders and practice using a combination of hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education. This enables my patients to assist in their own recovery and injury prevention. I also have developed fall prevention and golf-related rehab programs in the past. I hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin (2008) and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2004). I am a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (LPTA), and the Orthopaedic and Neurology sections of the APTA.
If you want to connect beyond the blog, m...@geaux2pt.com or click on the following social network icons:
October 2, 2010
General Information