Obesity is placed at the second place in a list of causes of preventable deaths, in the United States. Read this article, which contains a BMI chart along with an obesity chart for men and women.
Obesity is a universal concern today. It is good that more and more people are becoming health conscious. Accumulation of excess fat in the body can cause various types of heart diseases. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, gallbladder ailments, types of cancer, etc. Good eating habits, healthy but low calorie diet, and increased physical activity can help to reduce this ailment. But, to find out whether you belong to the obese class or not, you may have to refer to an obesity chart.
BMI Chart
When it comes to measuring obesity, body mass index (BMI) can be helpful in determining whether a person is obese or not. Once you know the procedure to calculate BMI, you can refer to the following chart to see where you fit in.
| Calculated BMI | Conclusion |
| BMI < 17.5 | Extremely underweight |
| BMI < 18.5 | Underweight |
| BMI 18.5 to 25 | Normal or optimal weight |
| BMI > 25 | Overweight |
| BMI = 30 or BMI > 30 | Obese |
| BMI = 40 or BMI > 40 | Morbid obesity |
Easy to use BMI calculators are available on various sites, where you just have to type your weight and height, and you get the BMI. Despite the fact that the ideal weight for men and women with the same height is different, both sexes can refer to this chart, as it provides the required guidelines.
Obesity Chart for Men and Women
| Height (Inches) | Overweight Point (Pounds) | Obesity Point (Pounds) | Severe Obesity Point (Pounds) |
| 4′ 9″ | 115 | 138 | 184 |
| 4′ 10″ | 119 | 143 | 191 |
| 4′ 11″ | 123 | 148 | 198 |
| 5′ 00″ | 128 | 153 | 204 |
| 5′ 1″ | 132 | 158 | 211 |
| 5′ 2″ | 136 | 164 | 218 |
| 5′ 3″ | 141 | 169 | 225 |
| 5′ 4″ | 145 | 174 | 233 |
| 5′ 5″ | 150 | 180 | 240 |
| 5′ 6″ | 155 | 185 | 247 |
| 5′ 7″ | 159 | 191 | 254 |
| 5′ 8″ | 164 | 197 | 262 |
| 5′ 9″ | 169 | 203 | 270 |
| 5′ 10″ | 174 | 209 | 278 |
| 5′ 11″ | 179 | 215 | 286 |
| 6′ 0″ | 184 | 221 | 294 |
| 6′ 1″ | 189 | 227 | 303 |
| 6′ 2″ | 194 | 233 | 311 |
| 6′ 3″ | 200 | 240 | 319 |
| 6′ 4″ | 205 | 246 | 328 |
| 6′ 5″ | 210 | 252 | 337 |
| 6′ 6″ | 216 | 259 | 345 |
| 6′ 7″ | 221 | 266 | 354 |
Obesity may create problems during pregnancy, and hence, women need to monitor their weight during such times. Height and weight charts for children are available in schools, gyms, and clinics. Parents need to follow a balanced diet and an exercise routine themselves, if they want their children to eat healthy and exercise regularly.
Obesity Facts
During the past twenty years, the number of obese people in the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase. Nine million children and teens belonging to the age group of 6-19 are overweight. Sixty million Americans, of age 20 years and older are obese. Blacks have 51% higher prevalence of obesity, and Hispanics have 21% higher obesity prevalence than whites. Statistics show that for children aged 2-5 years, prevalence of obesity has increased from 5.0% to 12.4%; for those aged 6-11 years, prevalence has increased from 6.5% to 17.0%; while for those aged 12-19 years, prevalence has increased from 5.0% to 17.6%. The data collected shows that one out of 7 low-income, preschool-aged children are obese. When obesity in different countries was measured, it was noticed that the U.S. had the maximum number of obese people (30.8%), and South Korea and Japan had the lowest number of obese population (3.2%).
Many health organizations are committed to raise awareness of obesity as a health issue. Significant economic consequences of obesity in America have been noticed. Decreased productivity, increased medical costs, and several related factors are to be taken into consideration while estimating the loss due to obesity. Diabetes, hypertension, and other obesity-related chronic diseases used to be common diseases in adults, but now these ailments have become more common in youngsters. The percentage of overweight and obese children and adolescents is now higher than ever before. Actually, it is easy to lose weight with the help of diet and exercise. With a low calorie diet and regular exercise schedule, it is easy to shed those extra pounds.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
