Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.
Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
There are many reasons why some people have difficulty losing weight. Usually, obesity results from inherited, physiological and environmental factors, combined with diet, physical activity and exercise choices.
The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity. A healthier diet, increased physical activity and behavior changes can help you lose weight.
Consequences of Obesity
Obesity will increase the load on multiple organs of the body, cause diseases, and even shorten life span.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI is an index of height and weight, and is an internationally recognized objective indicator of obesity in the general adult population. According to several international and local studies, an increase in BMI is associated with an increase in risk of disease and mortality.
BMI = Body Weight(KG) ÷ Height(M) ÷Height(M)
For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn’t directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obesity category even though they don’t have excess body fat.
For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows:
- overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and
- obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.
Central Obesity and Waist Circumference
Although BMI is widely used to measure the degree of obesity, but not effectively reflect the distribution of body fat. Central obesity (commonly known as “pot belly”, that is, the accumulation of excessive fat in the abdomen, and the overall excessive fat risk of disease is equally high. Studies have shown that waist circumference can reflect the extent of abdominal fat accumulation, and thus assess the risk of disease in individuals. For the average Asian adult, you will be defined as centrally obese if your waist circumference is equal to or exceeds the following levels.
| Gender | Waist circumference (cm) |
| Male | 90 years old and above |
| Female | 80 years old and above |
Maintain Ideal
- Reduce the absorption of calories by adopt “3 Low 1 High” Healthy Eating Principles
- Increasing calorie consumption: maintain daily exercise and increase the amount of activity in your daily life. Like, alight from transportation in advance and walk to your destination. Use the stairs instead of lifts or escalators.
Reference :
- WHO (World Health Organization)
- HKSAR Department of Health
- HK Hospital Authority Smart Patient
- HK Association for the Study of Obesity
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