Understanding Your BMI And The Risks That Come With Obesity

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- BMI is the way we measure people's weight through a body mass index. For people who have a BMI over 40 they enter a category called morbidly obese. Once in that category, the risk for coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure and death is greater.

A study at the University of Pittsburgh looked at over 9,000 women who were studied over a seven-year period and supported this claim. The study is important, because obesity is a major health issue and the incident is increasing. Certainly diet plays a role as does exercise or lack of it, but for some there are other factors that can be genetic or hormonal.

The important thing is to try and deal with the problem. For those who are severely obese there are methods including bariatric surgery that can help.