The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Normal weight obesity is when a person has a normal weight for their height (BMI between 18.5 – 24.9), but their body fat percentage is above normal (+32 percent for women and +26 percent for men). It is likely that up to 30 percent of people could be considered normal weight obese.

Although everyone likes to think that fat is the bad guy, you do need fat to survive. Fat has a purpose, but when you have too much, it can hurt your health.

Why fat is important:

• It regulates hormones and body temperature;

• It is needed to store fat soluble vitamins;

• It protects your organs;

• It’s available for emergencies.

Why is normal weight obesity a hidden risk?

BMI, Body Mass Index, is often determined at the doctor’s office after they take your weight. If you are above or below the normal range your doctor may talk about your weight. The one problem with BMI is that it does not consider the total make-up of your weight. Your muscles, bones, organs, water, and yes, fat, all make up your total weight. Therefore, someone can be normal weight and obese while athletes can be considered overweight or obese and lean.

Research is showing that those with normal weight obesity have an increased risk for developing health problems. Some health problems consist of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Normal weight obesity can sometimes be overlooked by health professionals. Unless your doctor performs body composition tests, the only information they have is weight, and if a patient is within normal limits, they move on.

What should I do?

If you are concerned about your body fat percentage or your muscle mass, talk to your doctor. They may measure your body fat or recommend tests to determine if you have markers of obesity-related diseases. There are many ways your body fat can be calculated. There are scales or body analyzers that measure body fat by sending a small, undetectable electrical pulse through your body. You can also use an older method with a body fat caliper. When using a caliper, the skin is pinched in three to seven spots and the caliper is used to measure the thickness of the skin and fat. Larger measurements mean more fat underneath the skin.

If you want to lower your body fat, you need to exercise more. Exercising is a very important part of your health. Find an activity that you enjoy. Lifting weights and running are not the only types of exercise. You can even make everyday tasks, like cleaning, into exercise! Exercise is important because is it helps you build muscle. Other than for strength, muscle is needed to increase metabolism (this is the only thing that is going to increase it!) and to improve and maintain balance.

A recently published research study has found that people who regularly exercised were more likely to be considered normal weight and lean. They also found that those with normal weight obesity had less muscle mass than both the normal weight lean and overweight obese groups. The normal weight obese and the normal weight lean groups, both ate very healthy diets. This research study shows that both a healthy diet and physical activity are needed to live a healthy lifestyle.