WHY ARE AMERICANS OBESE?
WHY ARE AMERICANS OBESE?
To understand the true size of the American obesity epidemic, we first need to understand what it really means to be overweight. Generally, doctors and nutritionists classify people as either underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. These different classifications are determined by body mass index (BMI), or the percentage of fat an individual has on his or her body. To get a basic idea, this chart from the CDC approximates what that means for someone who is 5’9” tall.
| Height | Weight Range | BMI | Considered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source: CDC | |||
| 5′ 9″ | 124 lbs or less | Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 125 lbs to 168 lbs | 18.5 to 24.9 | Healthy weight | |
| 169 lbs to 202 lbs | 25.0 to 29.9 | Overweight | |
| 203 lbs or more | 30 or higher | Obese | |
As for what is driving America’s chronic weight problem, there are no definite answers. Scientific studies often reach conflicting conclusions, meaning many theories are out there, but the preponderance of evidence points to the two causes most people already suspect: too much food and too little exercise.