The concepts of overweight, obesity and morbid obesityHow do you decide if you are overweight, obese or morbidly obese? Various methods have been developed for establishing the precise definitions. The most commonly used method is that of the Body Mass Index (BMI). The Body Mass Index is an indicator which includes both weight and height in a formula and expresses them as a figure.What should your BMI be?The ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 20 and 25. If you have a Body Mass Index of between 25 and 30, you are considered to be overweight. In case you have a BMI of over 30, you are considered obese. A BMI of over 40 or over 35 in the presence of an associated disease which is subject to improvement by weight loss (hypertension, diabetes, radiologically proven arthritis, sleep apnoea) indicates severe or morbid obesity and is therefore a surgical indication. [ 1 ]You may look up your own BMI in annex 2 of this brochure. Generally speaking, it is considered that if your Body Mass Index is higher than 30, you are at risk of developing health problems associated with your excess weight. In the pages which follow, more details can be found about the causes of obesity and morbid obesity in particular, the resulting problems and the methods of treatment. These pages do not discuss the possible problems that can arise as a result of being overweight, i.e. in the context of a BMI of between 25 and 30. |
"It's really awful to have to go through life as someone suffering from obesity: you feel worthless and sometimes you are lonely and unhappy. You have a tendency to apologize for being the way you are. You don't ever dare to eat a single snack because you are afraid people will immediately say 'It's your own fault, it is all your doing.' Apart from the practical problems you face as a sufferer, like seats that are too small in buses, theaters and cinemas, and not being able to find reasonably priced clothes in your size, you also have to fight all kinds of prejudices: you are seen as dirty, lazy, antisocial and stupid. You also have to put up with all kinds of comments like 'cow', 'elephant' and 'pig.' Even from your closest associates! I also experience difficulties in finding work and entering into relationships. People go by what you look like. What I really find hardest of all is that people don't take you seriously, which means that in the end you feel totally isolated." |