If you are obese, you could get a lot of health issues like heart disease, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, disorders related to respiration, cancer and even osteoarthritis. You may be surprised to hear that you are at a greater risk of contracting the aforementioned diseases if you have fat accumulated around your waist and belly.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly sixty percent of adults in the US are over weight, and out of these twenty-five percent are obese. Even children in the US are over weight or obese. The number of obese people is on the rise, and that is why obesity has become a major health concern.

Here are some signs and symptoms of obesity:

Invariably for a person to be obese, the body mass index is calculated. To reach the body mass index a formula is used that takes into consideration the height and weight of the person. So, if a person has a body mass index of 30 or above, he or she will be considered obese.

In addition, another figure is taken into consideration for the person to be called obese. This is the waist to hip ratio. This shows the amount of fat that is accumulated around the waist. Those that have a waist to hip ratio that is high are at a greater risk of developing major health problems, some of which can be life threatening. In men, the waist to hip ratio should be around .90 or less, while in women the figure should be around .80 or less.

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