OBESITY

Obesity is a serious health problem in the United States of America. About 33% of Americans suffer from obesity. Obesity is defined in medical terms as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. A person is considered to have severe obesity if they are 100 pounds over their ideal body weight or in other words with a BMI of greater than 40 or those with a BMI greater than 35 with co-morbidities. The American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease process in 2013.

There are a range of health conditions that are associated or strongly linked to obesity.

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
• Sleep Apnea
• Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Arthritis
• Multitude of cancers
• Menstrual irregularities  

Obesity is an increasingly prevalent problem across the country. There is help available. Many insurance companies and even federal health programs often provide coverage for this disease. Now is the time to seek medical attention. If you have high blood pressure or any other health condition, you would not wait and try to fix it on your own, so why wait with obesity. Speak with your healthcare provider now or call our office directly to get the help you need to start being healthier.