Obesity – a weighty topic

BMI: Assess overweight

The BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement used to assess the relationship between a person’s weight and height. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal weight, a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, and people with a higher value are considered obese. However, the BMI does not take into account the distribution of fat and muscle mass. However, body composition plays a significant role, as fat can pose more health risks in certain areas of the body. Depending on their genetic constitution, medical consequences can occur for some at a BMI of 26 and for others only when they have reached a BMI of 35.

Obesity occurs when we consume more energy in the form of calories than we use. The body stores the excess energy as fat in so-called fat cells. Known causes of obesity are unfavorable eating habits and lack of exercise. But there are other risk factors that can lead to obesity. A common reason is disordered eating behavior: too much, too fast or not balanced enough. Irregular working hours or hereditary influences, psychological factors, certain medications and metabolic disorders can also be drivers.

BRI: An alternative to the BMI

The BMI only takes weight and height into account and neglects important factors such as fat distribution and muscle mass. This can lead to misjudgements, for example in the case of well-trained people with a high proportion of heavy muscle mass, who receive the same result as people with little muscle but a high body fat percentage. The Body Roundness Index (BRI), on the other hand, integrates the waist circumference into the calculation and provides a more precise assessment of body shape. Visceral fat in particular, which accumulates in the abdominal area and is associated with increased health risks such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes , is better detected with the BRI. As a result, the BRI offers a differentiated and more meaningful analysis.

Obesity and healthcare costs

The health consequences of overweight and obesity not only pose individual problems for those affected, but also entail a considerable financial burden for society as a whole. Obesity is one of the risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Data collected in Switzerland in 2012 put the resulting direct and indirect costs at around eight billion Swiss francs.

Socio-economic factors

Disadvantaged sections of the population are more likely to be overweight. People with lower incomes may be less able to afford healthy food. As a result, they tend to choose energy-rich, nutrient-poor foods that are cheaper. This can increase the risk of obesity. Conversely, people who are used to living in abundance have sometimes forgotten how to listen to their natural needs. Enjoyable, healthy eating is not least a question of moderation.

In addition to socio-economic factors, working conditions, awareness of health-related behavior or access to effective health care are other possible influencing factors for frequent obesity in the population. This makes preventative measures and a holistic approach to tackling these problems all the more important.