The number of obese adults in America is much more than the number of those who are simply overweight in accordance to the latest statistics generated by the federal government.

The National Centre for Health Statistics has posted some numbers and according to them nearly 34% of American adults are adults as compared to 32.5% of those who are overweight. It is considered that only 6% of those could be called “extremely obese”.  The NCHS also added that more than one-third of the adult American population or approximately over 72 million people were obese in the year 2005-2006.

These numbers were generated on the basis of a survey where 4356 adults who happen to be above the age of 20 took part in this government health survey, confirmed the NCHS which is also the part of Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. These figures come from the survey conducted in 2005-2006 which is the most recent of all.

However, at the same time as the prevalence of obesity has doubled over the past decade, the numbers of American adults who are overweight remain the same. The difference between obesity and overweight is marked by a scientific formula called the body mass index. This formula is simply the weight in kilograms divided by the height in metres square. All those with the BMI falling in between 25 to 29 are considered overweight whereas all those who fall in 30 to 40 are obese and people with a BMI above 40 are extremely obese.

From the surveys conducted from 1988 to 1994, 22.9% of American adults were obese and merely 33% were obese and only 2.9% were extremely obese. The numbers have been steadily increasing ever since. Obesity increases the risk of heart related diseases, a few cancers, arthritis, diabetes and a range of other health conditions.

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