Overweight

How would one know if he or she is overweight? Here's a guide from the New York Times:

Nearly two-thirds of the United States population is overweight. There are many ways to determine if a person is overweight, but experts believe that a person's body mass index (BMI) is the best way to assess an adult's weight in relation to their height.

* A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal.
* Adults with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight. There are exceptions. For example, an athlete may have a higher BMI but not be overweight.
* Adults with a BMI greater than 30 are considered obese.
* Adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 40 are considered extremely obese.
* Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese.

A person with a high BMI may have a normal amount of body fat if he has a lot of muscles.

Know Your BMI (Body Mass Index)

For weight-watchers, one of the most important information that they need to know is the BMI or Body Mass Index. This index provides a guideline as to whether one has attained the desired body mass. Here is one ready-to-use BMI calculator.