What exactly is obesity? Is it just having a little tummy fat? And what are the risks associated with obesity? And how can you combat it? We lay out everything you need to know. It’s common knowledge that the obesity rates and trends in the United States are grim. So grim, in fact, that according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults are dealing with obesity (that’s about 36.5 percent of adults in America). Even worse, the national childhood obesity rate is a whopping 18.5 percent. This includes a breakdown of rates at about: 13.9 percent of children 2-to-5 18.4 percent of 6-to-11 20.6 percent for 12-to-19 As a nation, the United States is aware that obesity is a mega-problem in our country, but many people, both obese and not, are left with plenty of unanswered questions about the condition. For example, what does being obese actually mean? What constitutes obesity and how can you know if you’re dealing with the risks associated with being obese? Is being overweight different than being obese? Further, what are the risks that go hand-in-hand with obesity? Does it mean your heart is less healthy? Does it mean that you’re facing the possibility of a shorter life? More importantly, how can you combat obesity and what are the best ways to treat it? How can a person fight obesity and the risks that are associated with it? We’re here to break it down for you. Read our guide below answers to any questions you might have about obesity, tips for how to treat and fight obesity, and even more helpful information that you might be unaware of. What Constitutes Obesity? When it comes down to actually defining obesity, a lot of people have a fuzzy idea on where they fall within that category. An overweight person, for example, doesn’t necessarily qualify as an obese person, but often, people will interchange these two terms. Are you obese if you have a little extra belly fat? Likely, this is not the case. Are you obese if your clothes are fitting a little tighter than usual? Being overweight and being obese are two different conditions. Determining obesity has a lot to do with what’s known as the Body Mass Index, which is a statistical measurement that’s derived from your height and weight. Typically, if your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you’re considered overweight, and if your BMI is 30 or over, you’re likely considered obese. It’s important to note, though, that BMI can be misleading. For the average person, the BMI will work fine, but the BMI indicator will not measure your body fat percentage. Someone who is incredibly muscular for their height will have a higher weight, but a lot more muscle than fat. They might have a higher-than-normal BMI, but that doesn’t mean that they’re obese. According to the CDC, there are a different classes of obesity, too: - Class 1 is [...]