In most of the cases we can judge from the appearance of a person that his weight is more than ideal. Even an illiterate person can conclude this by few common observations like accumulation of layers of fat on tummy or hips, XXL size clothes, finding difficulty in pushing the body forward while walking, etc. We can measure obesity by the following methods :
- Circumference of Waist : Larger the circumference of the waist, higher is the weight of a person. It is said, ‘Larger the waistline, shorter the lifeline.’
| Excessive Weight | Obesity | |
| Male | 94 – 102 cm | > 102 cm (40’’)(Note : 90 cm for Indians) |
| Female | 80 – 88 cm | > 88 cm (35’’)(Note : 80 cm for Indians) |
- Body Mass Index (BMI) : This is an easy method of measuring obesity.
Weight in kg / (Height in meters)2
For example, 80 kgs / (1.65 m)2 = 29.4 K / M2
| Weight | Class | BMI (kg / m2) | Risk of cardiometabolic Diseases |
| Less than average | < 18.5 | Less | |
| Average | 18.5 – 24.9 (For Indians up to 22.9) | Average | |
| More than average | 25.0 – 29.9 | Slightly higher | |
| Obesity | 1.2.3. | 30.0 – 34.935.0 – 39.9> 40 | HighVery HighExtremely High |
- Waist : Hip Ratio = WHR : This ratio should be less than 0.7 in case of women and less than 0.9 in case of men with normal health. When this ratio exceeds 0.8 and 1.0 in case of women and men respectively, a person is said to be overweight. The possibility of such persons getting affected by illnesses related to heart, brain and diabetes in higher.
Analysis Of Body Components : Machines for finding out the percentage of fat in the body are now available. The help of these machines is taken for people who are in competitive sports and for those who need surgery for obesity. The reliability of these measures is limited.