Understanding Obesity and Weight Management

Goal

To understand how obesity and weight management interact.

Obesity has many causes, which can be different for each person. Some may be genetic, but many are related to poor eating and exercise habits that started early in life. Sometimes, these habits are hard to break, which makes it easy to become discouraged. However, being able to decrease body weight to a healthy range is an important part of overall health. Having a healthy body weight decrease risks for many chronic health conditions, including Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Your own healthy weight is determined based on your height, weight, and body composition. Generally, a healthy weight can be determined based on BMI, or body mass index. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is usually considered healthy and is determined based on your weight relative to your height. Aiming for a BMI in this range can be a good way to set healthy weight loss and weight management goals. If possible, it is good to check with a doctor before beginning a weight management program.

Jordan’s Story

Jordan is 25-year-old African American woman who has always struggled with her weight. She is currently working part time at a call center and going to school in the evenings. Although she was more active in high school, Jordan does not feel that her current schedule allows for many opportunities to exercise. At her last yearly physical, her physician strongly recommended she consider a weight management program to help her figure out a healthier diet so she can lose weight. She is cautioned that her current weight and activity level puts her at risk for heart disease and diabetes in the future. She agrees to find a weight management plan to follow and comes to 7cups.com.