Table of contents:
- What is the difference between overweight and obesity?
- Is the measurement of fat with body mass index accurate?
- How is the measurement of fat and obesity in children?
- Which is more dangerous, fat or obese?
Although often mistaken for the same, fat and obesity are two different things. Simply put, obesity is more severe when compared to obesity. Those who are obese are not necessarily obese, but those who are obese are definitely obese. According to the 2013 Basic Health Research data, in each age category, the percentage of those who suffer from obesity is more than those who are overweight or obese. Women also had a higher percentage of both the overweight and obese categories. Meanwhile, based on the area of residence, those who live in urban areas have a higher percentage of fat and obesity.
What is the difference between overweight and obesity?
Either fat or obesity, both indicate an excess level of fat in the body. Fat and obesity are used to identify those who are at high risk for health problems caused by excess levels of fat in the body. Fat and obesity are usually measured using BMI or Body Mass Index. This body mass index calculation uses body weight and height. The trick is to divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. For example, if you weigh 58 kg and you are 1.6 meters tall, the calculation is 58 / 1.6 x 1.6, giving you 22.65.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is then used to determine whether you are obese or obese. The division of the body mass index is as follows:
- <18.5 is in the category of underweight or underweight.
- 18.5 to <25 are categorized as normal.
- 25 to <30 are in the overweight or obese category.
- > 30 is obese.
Obesity is then further divided into:
- Obesity class 1: body mass index between 30 and <35
- Obesity class 2: body mass index between 35 and <40
- Obesity grade 3; body mass index above 40. Obesity is usually referred to as extreme obesity or severe obesity.
Is the measurement of fat with body mass index accurate?
Measurements that result in fat and obesity are usually carried out using the body mass index. For each individual, body mass index is a good enough screening tool to detect nutritional status, but it cannot be used to determine the total amount of fat in the body or state a person's health status. Therefore, health practitioners are advised to carry out further examinations if they want to diagnose a person's health status and the risk of developing certain diseases.
Although body mass index cannot be used to measure fat levels in the body directly, several studies have shown that the results of measuring body mass index are not too different from the results of measuring body fat directly through checking skin fat thickness, biolectrical impedance, and measuring body weight in underwater, or other methods of measuring body fat. Furthermore, body mass index is also strongly associated with a wide range of health conditions when compared to a direct measurement of fat content.
How is the measurement of fat and obesity in children?
Unlike adults, children have different measurement methods. Children and toddlers will have their weight and height measured and the measurement results will be converted into a standardized value called the Zscore. WHO in 2005 published standard figures for interpreting this Zscore value. If your child has a KMS card (Kartu Menuju Sehat), it will be easier to monitor their nutritional status, ask the health worker where you check you to always check the child's weight and height regularly and periodically.
Which is more dangerous, fat or obese?
Overall, both obesity and fat are bad for your health, because both are a marker that you are experiencing excess fat. But if it is related to the amount of fat in the body, obesity is definitely more dangerous than obesity because of the higher levels of fat in the body. But try to pay attention to where your fat is stored. Even though you are not considered obese, if you have a lot of fat in the stomach, then your risk of suffering from various types of degenerative diseases is greater. Belly fat is more dangerous than the fat found in the hips or other parts of the body.
The easiest way to measure whether you have accumulated belly fat is to measure your waist circumference. In women, it is recommended that your waist should not exceed 80 cm, while in men it is not more than 90 cm.
