Excess weight is linked to heart disease and other illnesses. Yet losing even 5% to 10% of your weight can bring significant health benefits.
On this page: Obesity: a national epidemic · Causes · Increased health risks · Body mass index · Waist circumference · Carrying excess weight · Tips for losing weight
Obesity: a national epidemic
According to a report published by the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute in 2008, Australia is the world's most overweight nation. It showed that around 1.5 million middle-aged Australians are currently obese and therefore at high risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
The 1999–2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab) found there had been a 2.5-fold rise in obesity over 20 years.
Causes
The increase in obesity is largely related to diet and lifestyle. Fast food, larger portions, poor nutrition habits and a sedentary lifestyle ... it all adds up to gaining weight. As we get older, our metabolism slows down and we become less active – which can worsen the problem.
But researchers say that if those affected adopted a simple strategy such as losing 5 kg in five months, the result could be a 27–34% decrease in heart-disease related hospital admissions and deaths over the next 20 years.
Increased health risks
Obesity is a well-known risk factor for many health problems:
- heart attack
- stroke
- type 2 diabetes
- insulin resistance
- high blood pressure
- high blood cholesterol
- some cancers.
Extra weight also puts extra stress and strain on our joints, leading to an increased risk of arthritis and injury.
Body mass index
The body mass index (BMI) is used as a measure of overall body fat, but it does not distinguish between fat and muscle. For instance, it may overestimate the fat in muscular athletes.
Calculate your BMI
Divide your weight by your height squared:
weight (kg or pounds)
height squared (metres or inches)
For example, if you weigh 80 kg and your height is 1.8 m, then your BMI is 24.7:
| 80 | = | 80 | = | 24.7 |
| 1.8 x 1.8 | 3.24 |
The World Health Organisation (WHO) definitions are:
| Classification | BMI range |
| Obese | over 30 |
| Overweight | 25–29.9 |
| Healthy weight | 18.5–24.9 |
| Underweight | under 18.5 |
Waist circumference
This is a simple but effective measure of abdominal fat. Exhale, and then place a tape measure around your waist, midway between the top of the hip bone and the bottom of the rib cage.
According to WHO a healthy waist measurement is:
- below 94 cm/37 inches for men
- below 80 cm/32 inches for women.
Measurements indicating the greatest risk are:
- more than 102 cm/40 inches for men
- more than 88 cm/35 inches for women.
Carrying excess weight: apples and pears
People who gain extra weight around their waist are described as apple-shaped, while those who carry it around their hips and buttocks are termed pear-shaped.
Apple shape has greater risk
Those with the apple shape have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. For every kilogram you lose, you can reduce your waist circumference by about 1 cm.
Tips for losing weight
- Choose a sensible balanced diet to help you lose weight slowly.
- Crash diets are not recommended.
- You may need to cut down on some other high-calorie foods as well, such as oils, lollies, soft drinks, cordials, alcohol, honey, jams.
- Diet soft drinks and diet cordials can safely be included in your diet as they contain very few calories.
- Use smaller amounts of unsaturated fats.
- Get some regular exercise – every day if possible. Walking is good for nearly everyone. Or you could try swimming, aquarobics, cycling, or dance classes.
See also
