Two thirds of the United States adult population is
overweight and one third is
obese. There are many
causes of weight gain, and some very good, sound solutions to them. Even with all of the information about
diets in the media, the statistics don't seem to be changing. It is important to know what these terms represent, how are they calculated, and where you fall on what is called the
BMI scale.
There is a long standing and very accurate way to determine where you fall on the weight spectrum for your body. It is called the
Body Mass Index (
BMI), which is a calculation of weight relative to height. If you feel you may be overweight, underweight, or are looking to verify that you are a healthy weight, you should use our
BMI Calculator.
If after calculating your BMI you feel you need to
lose weight, MealMixer has a great
Weight Loss Diet Planner that will help you manage your weight loss and exercise regimen.
Statistics
- Percent of non-institutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are overweight or obese: 67% (2005-2006)
- Percent of non-institutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 34% (2005-2006)
- Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are overweight: 18% (2005-2006)
- Percent of children age 6-11 years who are overweight: 15% (2005-2006)
- Percent of children age 2-5 years who are overweight: 11% (2005-2006)