Whilst everyone knows that being obese is not good for us, many people who are obese do not know exactly how dangerous the consequences really are, and they are more dangerous than they think.

While people do not technically die of obesity, somewhere between 100,000 to 400,000 Americans die from the diseases that come with it each year. Even at the lower estimates, it is still a huge death toll; much greater than other causes of death which receive a lot more press attention.

So, how do you know if you are obese? A formula called the body mass index, or BMI, is used to calculate who is obese and who is overweight. While those with BMIs of between 25 and 29 are classified as being overweight, those at 30 to 40 are considered obese. Regardless of exactly where you come on this scale, it is important to know the dangers of carrying around too much weight.

Keep in mind that the heart must pump blood 24 hours a day to supply and move this extra weight, and it puts a big strain on it to do so. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, and those with a BMI of above 25 have at least twice the risk of dying from it.

As over 80% of people who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes are also overweight, there is a clear link between obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, it appears that being overweight increases the risk of some types of cancers, such as that of the kidneys and colon.

Those are just a few of the fatal diseases that have been linked to being obese. Diseases that are usually not life threatening, but greatly affect quality of life are also a much greater risk for people who are overweight.

Those who are overweight need to need to do something about it if they are serious about their health. While there is a ton of information available on the Internet, it is always a good idea to check with a physician.

The majority of the information you can find on the Internet and other places is great, but there is a lot put out for the sole purpose of selling weight loss products. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Losing weight almost always requires a healthy diet and exercise to burn the extra pounds off.

Awareness of the dangers of obesity should be motivation enough for people to lose weight. If you are concerned about your own weight, then you should check your BMI today, and start taking immediate action if necessary.
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