Morbid obesity is defined by having a body mass index of 40 or higher. The body mass index chart is a formula that compares body fat and height of an individual. When a person weighs more than 100 pounds over what is considered normal for he height, he qualifies as morbidly obese. The non-profit think tank, Rand Corporation, reports that in America more than one in five adults are obese. Further, carrying around all of those extra pounds is an incredible liability to health. Morbid obesity can cause diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and much more.
Diet
The first thing morbidly obese people can do to shed some pounds is begin looking at how many calories they take in on a daily basis, and what kind of foods and beverages they are consuming. Generally speaking, people with weight problems this severe can easily eat thousands of calories a day. Healthy people should consume between approximately 1300 and 2000 calories daily depending on height, weight and activity level. Minimizing portions and cutting fats and sugar from the diet can help speed much needed weight loss. Because obese people have so much added stress on their heart, unless a person drops a certain amount of weight, exercise could actually exacerbate a heart condition and result in a heart attack.
Exercise
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that obese people should exercise at least 150 minutes a week. This only translates to about 22 minutes a day. Aerobic exercise like walking, biking, and swimming is the best way to burn calories and drop pounds. Since obese people are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, it's important for these individuals to consult with their physician, and even a weight loss specialist, before engaging in any kind of physical weight loss regimen.
Surgery
To qualify for bariatric surgery, patients must have a BMI of 40 or more. Individuals with a BMI of at least 35, coupled with weight-related health disorders, can also qualify. An obese individual must also commit to making lifestyle changes before many bariatric surgeons will consider gastric bypass. For some, this treatment offers people their best chance to lose weight and regain quality of life. During the procedure, the surgeon will reduce the size of the stomach pouch to roughly the size of a grape. The American Diabetes Association reports that one year after weight-loss surgery, diabetes can be reversed in some patients.
