America has an epidemic on its hands, and although a lot of us recognize it, many find it difficult to call it what it is, partly because so many of us don’t really know the difference.  The issue?  Weight gain.  The distinction?  Overweight and Obese.

We hear the word “obesity” being bandied about in many places including health care facilities.  But what’s really tricky is the definition.  Yes, medical professionals have come up with handy estimations built on the Body Mass Index, (BMI), but these are often more rough estimates than a divine decree of whether a person is obese or not.  They calculate the BMI in terms of kg/ m2  (Body Mass Index = kilograms divided by meters squared).

The medical community’s BMI chart goes something like this:

If you’re less than 18.5, you’re “underweight”.  18.5 –25?  “normal” weight.  A BMI of 25-30 is “overweight” and 30-39 is “obese”.

Doctors can whip out their palm pilots and calculate your BMI in a jiffy, but the problem is that BMI doesn’t always factor in all of the patient’s mitigating factors, including body structure.
Let’s start with the “overweight” category.  Generally, we can tell if we’re carrying a few “extra” pounds.  We define those extras against benchmarks like these: our weights when we used to do X athletic activity (ex: middle school or high school), when we felt our best, or by other ‘landmarks’.  Where it gets iffy is when those extras keep piling on and an individual heads toward that 30 mark.

What makes overweight individuals become obese?  Well, for one, the soda companies push high fructose corn syrup on the population through the readily available supply or either regular or diet drinks.  The same HFCS is put into all kinds of foods sold in supermarkets, restaurants or fast food chains.

Then there’s that old saw about the “sedentary lifestyle”.  An office job has become reality for so many people, it’s become necessary to build public gyms and training centers into nearly every American community to help all of us fight from crossing that line, from middleweight into overweight, and from overweight upwards to obesity.

There’s also genetics: experts say heredity can play a strong role in weight gain, though most agree this factor can be overcome with vigilant exercise.  Other factors in sudden weight gain include any medical condition or period of inactivity.

Doctors dispense diet regimens and medications to anyone with a BMI over 30 as a way to boost weight loss.  If the pounds don’t come off, and the BMI keeps creeping up, and finally if the BMI is over 40, health professionals often suggest that patients consider more serious means such as bariatric surgery (stomach bypass).  The stomch bypass is gaining traction as individuals weight the risks of carryin weight against a surgery which is advancing and becoming progressively easier to administer with time.

But most stress that the surgical solution is only a last resort, and usually unnecessary in the long run.  The biggest obstacle to weight loss?  It’s in the mind.  When someone in any of these categories really starts to get the will to drop pounds, many can realize their goals by giving themselves a push, or setting firm commitments.  This kind of ultimatum can take many forms: relatives or friends can provide monitoring for critical goals.  Professional trainers can also help, as their lifetimes of coaching pay off for their clients.  Either way, try a set regimen before resorting to more invasive means for the weight loss you need.  And keep in mind, obesity is an issue that affects all of us, no matter where we are on that BMI chart!