Excess weight and obesity: not just a question of a few extra pounds

Obesity is a chronic disease, caused by excess body fat distributed differently in the various regions of the body.

To ascertain whether there is “excess” fat, we commonly refer to the Body Mass Index or BMI, which is calculated as follows:

BMI = weight (in kg)/height squared (in metres) = kg/m²

Your BMI, despite being a useful and immediate indicator of excess weight and obesity, must be considered as just one of the parameters to be kept under control.

The same BMI result can correspond to various levels of body fat. The BMI provides no indication as to the location of body fat, which is a crucial factor in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

For these reasons, it is important to consider your WAISTLINE, in addition to the BMI. This is the circumference of your waist measured at the height of your navel and is considered to be a reliable indicator of the quantity of fat around the abdomen (visceral fat).

Beyond your BMI, excess abdominal fat in itself, as we will see, represents a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.