Overweight or obese?

Today, 64.5 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, according to the WIN (Weight Control Information Network, a government site. How do you know if you are among them? This site gives 2 measures, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, for estimates of overweight, obesity, and body fat distribution. Using their calculation, my BMI is 23.02. The government doesn't seem to care about buttocks or thunder thighs. Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches may have a higher disease risk than people with smaller waist measurements because of where their fat lies, according to WIN.



When Dr. Oz appeared on Oprah's show last week he said, "Fat around your legs and thighs is relatively harmless, but fat around your waist can lead to serious medical problems." Thanks, doc. Where have you been all my life?

Instead of the number on the scale, Dr. Oz says to focus on the your waist measurement. The ideal waistline for women is 32 and a half inches and 35 inches for a man. In the Oprah Show audience 47 percent of women and 93 percent of men were over the ideal waist size. That surprised me, because I usually perceive women as heavier than men. Must be looking at the wrong part of the body! My waist is about 28.