Whilst everyone knows that being obese is not healthy, many people who are obese do not know exactly how dangerous the consequences really are.

While obesity itself does not technically kill people, somewhere between 100,000 to 400,000 Americans die from the diseases that come with it each year. Even at the lower estimates, it is still a huge death toll; much greater than other causes of death which get a lot more press attention.

So, how do you know if you are obese? A formula called the body mass index (or simply BMI) is used to work out who is obese and who is overweight. While those with BMIs of 25 to 29 are classified as being overweight, those at 30 to 40 are considered obese.

Keep in mind that the heart must work 24/7 to pump blood to supply and move this extra weight, and it puts a big strain on it to do so. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, and those with a BMI of 25 or greater have at least twice the risk of dying from it.

As over 80% of people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes are also overweight, there is a clear link between obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, it appears that being overweight increases the risk of some types of cancers, including colon, kidney and esophagus.

Those are just a few of the fatal diseases that have been linked to being obese. Diseases which tend not to be life threatening, but affect quality of life, such as Osteoarthritis, are also a much greater risk for those who are overweight.

Those who are obese need to need to do something about it if they are serious about living a long life. While there is a ton of information out there, it is always a good idea to check with a physician.

Much of the information you can find on the Internet and other places is great, but there is also a significant portion which is put out just to sell diet and weight loss programs. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Losing weight almost always requires a healthy diet and exercise to burn the extra pounds off.

Awareness of the dangers of obesity should be motivation enough for people to lose weight. Those at risk should check their BMI and take action today.
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