Overweight/Obesity
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More than half
of the adults in the United States are overweight, and the problem
is increasing. The prevalence of obesity in the United States increased
by 64.7% between 1991
and 2001 (MMWR
2004). Several of the leading health problems in San
Francisco and a large share of the health disparities in San Francisco
can
be attributed
to
overweight/obesity. This is as important as smoking as a public health
concern.
The recent publication
(2001) of the
Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight
and Obesity brought additional attention on this important health
problem. Chapter
19 of Healthy People 2010 addresses
nutrition and overweight. (Physical activity and fitness are addressed
in Chaper
22.)
Body
Mass Index (BMI) Calculator
* overweight: body mass index 25-30)
* obesity: body mass index greater than
30
For children, BMI
must be interpreted on the basis of a nomogram -- see CDC
growth charts.
