Let’s talk about obesity. An obese person is defined as someone who has an excess of adipose mass.

 

How is obesity diagnosed?

In adults, to diagnose obesity, the body mass index, called Body Mass Index (BMI), must be calculated. People who have a BMI greater than 30 kg/mt2 are defined as obese. If the BMI exceeds 40 kg / mt2 we are faced with severe obesity. A BMI above 25 kg/mt2 is an indication of overweight.

 

How is BMI calculated?

BMI is calculated by dividing body weight expressed in kg by height expressed in meters squared. For example, a person who weighs 68 kg and is 1.68 meters tall will have a BMI of 68/(1.68)2=68/2.82= 24.1 kg/mt2

 

What are normal BMI values?

They are in a range of 18,5 and 25 kg/mt2.

Regardless of BMI values, the measurement of waist circumference is also important, which in itself, is an index of visceral obesity. There are waist circumference benchmarks for women and men that are different depending on the ethnicity to which they belong. For example, for people of Caucasian race, a waist circumference value of less than 80 cm in women and 94 cm in men is considered normal.

 

How is waist circumference measured?

Waist circumference measures the narrowest point of the abdomen. It is measured in front of the patient with a tape measure at the narrowest point between the last rib and the pelvis (to be precise the antero-superior iliac crest).

A further step is the evaluation of body composition. In fact, it is very important to know the excess weight if it is In fact, it is very important to know the excess weight if it is really due to an increase in fat mass or if it is linked to an increase in muscle mass as occurs in athletes or for example to fluid retention, as can happen for systemic diseases or also for the periodic fluctuations linked to the menstrual cycle in women of childbearing age.

If you want to have more information, contact our aesthetic medical office in Rome.

Or you could: