Being overweight poses an increased risk for any number of health problems, but can obesity kill you? It seems like a straightforward answer, but there is a lot more to it. Keep reading to learn more about the impact obesity can have on your health and mortality.
There is a difference between being overweight and obese. However, this distinction can vary depending on who is defining the terms. Some places say you are obese if you weigh 50 pounds more than you should, while others say you are morbidly obese if you weigh 100 pounds more than you should. The issue is further confused with definitions of being overweight, so what can you do?
A simple answer can be found in the BMI (Body Mass Index). This is a formula that is used to estimate how healthy your current weight is. It does have a few flaws, but it is a good tool for most 
people. The formula can be stated as: lbs/in^2 X 703 (weight in pounds divided by height in inches, squared; multiplied by 703) or kg/m^2 (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters, squared).
Someone who is 5′ 11″ tall and weighs 210 pounds would have a BMI of approximately 29.28, which is on the high end of being overweight, and just short of being obese.
Here is how the math works out:
5′ 11″ = 71 inches
71 squared = 5,041
210 (the weight in pounds) divided by 5,041 = 0.041658
0.041658 X 703 = 29.28
If this person could get their weight down to 179 pounds, they would have a healthy BMI of about 24.96.
The BMI weight ranges break down as follows:
18.5 and under is considered underweight.
18.5 to 25.0 is normal.
25.0 to 30.0 is considered overweight.
30.0 and above is obese.
There are a few exceptions. As this is a simplified formula, those who are very tall or short can have skewed numbers. Also, muscle weighs more than fat, so a bodybuilder can get a rating that makes them appear less healthy than they are.
If you are overweight or obese, then you are at risk for a number of diseases, many of which can be fatal. Just a few of the diseases you may be at higher risk for include stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. You could try to treat all of these conditions individually, or you could decrease the risk of getting them by losing weight. So, it’s not always a question of can obesity kill you, but how much longer you are likely to live if you lose weight.
Losing weight is a simple concept, but not always that easy to do. It takes a solid commitment to make it happen, but it can be done. It’s all about following a proven plan for eating right and engaging in physical activity. Just because obesity has the potential to kill doesn’t mean that you have let it.
