Turns out some people are pretty out of touch when it comes to their weight.
A new Gallup survey shows only 36% of Americans think they�re overweight. That�s not even close to the 69% of adults in the U.S. who actually are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Talk about a reality check.
And this isn�t the first time Americans have guessed wrong: A review of 69 studies published in the journal Pediatrics found that nearly 51% of parents with overweight or obese children underestimated their kid�s weight. The researchers in that study said it�s likely that prevalence of overweight kids skewed the parents� perceptions of what�s normal.
All the more reason to learn what it really means to be overweight and obese. A quick way to figure it out is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). It�s a measure of body fat that factors in your height and weight. A BMI of 25 or more will put you into the overweight category, while a score above 30 means you�re in obese territory. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.
While BMI is easy to calculate, it does have its limitations. For one, it may overestimate body fat in athletes or anyone with a muscular build.
Though BMI isn�t a perfect measure, it�s still a good place to start if you�re unsure of where you stand.
Source: health
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