New Definitions of Overweight and Obese Based on

Body Mass Index

 

The federal government is changing its definitions of overweight and obese. The new guidelines use a measure called the body mass index, or BMI, which uses height and weight to gauge total body fat in adults.


Determine body mass index by:

          1.Multiplying your weight in pounds by 703.

          2.Squaring your height in inches.

          3.Dividing the result of step 1 by the result of step 2.

 

Under the new guidelines, people with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 will be considered overweight. Those with a BMI over 30 will be considered obese. Estimates suggest that as many as 97 million adults, or more than

one third of the US population, will now be considered overweight.