Weigh-in On Weight
Weight Stats: Per the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, roughly 73% of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese based on Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria.
Overweight (BMI 25-29.9): About 31% of U.S. adults
Obese (BMI ≥30): About 33% of U.S. adults
Severe Obesity (BMI ≥40): About 9% of U.S. adults
Note: BMI as a measure of the need to lose weight may not be applicable to certain people; however, it may be helpful as an initial screening tool to learn more about an individual’s healthy weight status.
Overweight, Obese, Severe Obesity:
Risk Factors related to being overweight, obese or severe obesity:
Cardiovascular Diseases: Greater risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, & atherosclerosis.
Type 2 Diabetes: Increased insulin resistance & higher risk of developing diabetes due to excess fat, especially around the abdomen.
Certain Cancers: Higher likelihood for cancers such as breast, colon, kidney, liver, & pancreatic cancer.
Joint and Musculoskeletal Issues: Greater strain on joints leading to osteoarthritis & joint pain, particularly in the knees & lower back.
Sleep Apnea and Respiratory Problems: Excess weight can lead to obstructive sleep apnea & other breathing difficulties.
Metabolic Syndrome: A cluster of conditions (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist) that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Mental Health Issues: Increased risk for depression, anxiety, & low self-esteem due to societal stigma or health-related stress.
BMI, BRI, WHR: Weighing yourself is one way to keep track of your weight, but knowing your weight alone doesn’t tell you if you are underweight, normal, overweight or obese. It also does not tell you about your fat distribution or your health risk levels. The following body measurement scores will help you to learn more about the number on your scale.
BMI (Body Mass Index): A ratio of weight to height (kg/m²) used to classify individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Click here for BMI Calculator.
Pros: Simple, widely used, and easy to calculate.
Cons: Doesn’t account for muscle mass, fat distribution, or body composition, leading to potential misclassification depending on sex, race, ethnicity or muscular athletes.
BRI (Body Roundness Index): A body shape index that considers height and waist circumference to estimate body fat percentage and health risks. Click here for BRI Calculator.
Pros: Provides an estimate of body fat distribution. As a screening tool, BRI can be used to estimate all-cause mortality risks and to identify high-risk individuals.
Cons: Less commonly used, and not as widely validated as BMI.
WHR (Waist to Hip Ratio): The ratio of the circumference of the waist to the hips, used to assess fat distribution and associated health risks. Click here for WHR Calculator.
Pros: Effective at predicting risk for cardiovascular diseases and better reflects central (abdominal) obesity which is a predictor of health status.
Cons: Doesn’t account for overall body fat percentage or muscle mass, and measurement accuracy can vary.
Which is screening tool is right for you? Try them all and talk to your doctor about about your current body weight.
Weight-Loss Challenges: For many people, weight-loss can be a life-long challenge. These challenges are compounded by confusion created through:
Marketing
Nutrition publications
Restaurant menus
Diet programs
Food products
Labeling, terminology
News reports
Lifestyles & social media.
Whether you want to lose weight for aesthetics, reversing chronic diseases, preventing/Lowering risks of family disease history, painful joints or the desire to play, move & have fun, there are three important aspects to finding out what will help you with your individual weight challenges
Desire: The desire to lose weight outweighs current eating patterns
Learning: Openess to continuous learning & not defining yourself by your current level of knowledge
Consistency: Consistently improving one’s lifestyle to support new eating habitsDon’t give up. Your health is counting on you.
Weight-Loss, many ways: There are many ways to approach weight-loss. Some basic approaches are:
1. Calorie Density Approach: Emphasizes eating foods with low calorie density (calories per pound), which allows for larger portions with fewer calories.
2. High-Volume Eating: Prioritizes high-fiber foods that are filling & take up more space in the stomach, helping you feel full while consuming fewer calories.
3. Intermittent Fasting: Involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, focusing on whole foods &, plant-based meals during eating windows.
4. Low-Fat, Whole Food Plant-Based: Minimizes the intake of dietary fats, particularly from oils & saturated fats, focusing on unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
5. Balanced Macro Approach: Balances carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in each meal, while ensuring the majority of the meals are plant-based and whole foods. Balances will vary due to lifestyles; however, none should be restricted.
6. Portion-Controlled Eating: Emphasizes eating smaller, controlled portions while choosing nutrient-dense, plant-based foods.
Each approach can be tailored to individual needs and preferences, while ensuring the meals are nutritious, satisfying, and supportive of weight loss goals. Explore which approach works best for you and learn to eat better every day.
Nutrition Shift: Shifting your meals to include more whole, plant-based foods is the first step to a life long plan to acheive & maintain a healthy weight goal. Increasing & adjusting the proportion of whole, plant-based foods will:
Increase low-glycemic foods
Increase fiber which creates fullness
Increase the proportion of foods that have less calories
Decrease dependency on ultra-processed foods which tend to be calorie dense & easily consumed