How to Identify Risk Factors for Obesity

In a nation where obesity is becoming an epidemic, it is more important than ever to identify the risk factors. Studies have shown that there are certain groups of people that may be more prone to developing symptoms and those symptoms can eventually lead to serious damage to the organs of the body.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Height and weight chart
• Body fat calipers (or personal trainer)
• Medical physical
• Family medical history
• Doctor

Assess the Risk Factors

1. Check your weight often. It can greatly aid in the process to identify if there is a problem. Weight above 20 percent of your ideal recommended weight is considered to be obese. Prevention in letting your body reach that point can be accomplished by weighing yourself at least once a week.
2. Take your blood pressure every 6 months. People that struggle with obesity typically have three times as much hypertension as people of normal weight. High blood pressure and obesity are almost always related.
3. Have a doctor or personal trainer take your body fat percentage. This is usually done with specialized equipment and should be done at least twice a year. Those with a high body fat percentage are at risk for obesity.
4. Evaluate your cholesterol count. The more overweight your body becomes, the more cholesterol your body will produce. In a 20-year study in the Netherlands, doctors discovered that for roughly every 2.2-pound rise in body weight above the recommended ideal, cholesterol is elevated by two points.
5. Get tested for diabetes. Eighty percent of people with type II diabetes are overweight. Obesity obliterates insulin receptors so sugar can't enter the cells and instead it remains in the blood, resulting in serious complications and sometimes even death. Getting tested for diabetes should be done on a yearly basis.
6. Survey your family history for obesity. It is important to identify if there may be a genetic link in your family. Many times, obese people come from obese families. If there are family members that suffer from any of the risk factors mentioned above, determining what worked best for them can be a tremendous help.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to tell your doctor that you feel you may be at risk for obesity, whether or not any tests are recommended.
• Positively embrace the idea to get fit. Losing weight will improve all aspects of your life.
• Don't use a height/weight chart that is "one size fits all." Be sure it has a category for small, medium and large boned individuals.
• Don't be embarrassed to begin researching or asking questions about obesity. The only way to prevent it is to identify the risk factors associated with it.