Health experts agree that you may gain health benefits from even a small weight loss if:
- You are considered obese based on your body mass index (BMI) (see BMI chart on page 3).
- You are considered
overweight based on your BMI and have weight
related health problems or a family history of such problems.
- You have a waist that measures more than 40 inches if you are a man or more than 35 inches if you are a woman.
A weight loss of 5 to 7 percent of body weight
may improve your health and quality of life,
and it may prevent weight-related health problems,
like type 2 diabetes.
For a person who weighs 200 pounds,
this means losing 10 to 14 pounds.
Even if you do not need to lose weight,
you should still follow healthy eating and physical activity habits to help prevent weight gain and keep you healthy over the years.
