How is obesity calculated

In Caucasians, a waist circumference of more than 35 inches in females and more than 40 inches in males suggests that an individual is at a higher risk of developing metabolic problems related to obesity.

While traditional approaches generally rely on individual, physical measurements to assess obesity, newer methods look to take a more comprehensive approach to assessing obesity. The Edmonton Obesity Staging System EOSS uses clinical assessments of medical, mental and functional impact of obesity on a person to determine obesity-related health risks and is a far better predictor of mortality than BMI or waist circumference.

How is Obesity Measured. Silver Spring , 14 3 , pp. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. If your BMI is less than If your BMI is References 1 Garrow, J.

Fat is more buoyant less dense than water, so someone with high body fat will have a lower body density than someone with low body fat. This method is typically only used in a research setting. This method uses a similar principle to underwater weighing but can be done in the air instead of in water.

Individuals drink isotope-labeled water and give body fluid samples. Researchers analyze these samples for isotope levels, which are then used to calculate total body water, fat-free body mass, and in turn, body fat mass. X-ray beams pass through different body tissues at different rates. So DEXA uses two low-level X-ray beams to develop estimates of fat-free mass, fat mass, and bone mineral density.

Local Policies Home. Comprehensive Plans. Local School Wellness Policies. Municipal Policies. Local Maps Home. Farm to School. Outdoor Opportunity Map. Statewide Data. Statewide Policies. What We Do. Who We Are. Calculating Obesity Rates Throughout this website, we talk about obesity rates. Data Acquisition and Processing The Wisconsin Health Atlas obesity rate estimates use data on body mass index BMI , age, sex, billing ZIP Code, and payer from individuals who visited a participating health care system in and Data Quality Participating health care systems review data for quality assurance before it is submitted to HIP for inclusion in the Wisconsin Health Atlas obesity rate estimates.

Limitations These prevalence estimates are based on patient populations and reflect those who sought care from participating health care systems during and System Notes These data represent individuals who visited a participating health care system during the included period and had a valid BMI measurement recorded.

Data Sources We collaborate with healthcare systems throughout the state as part of the Wisconsin Obesity Surveillance Partnership.