
Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation that takes a person’s weight and height into account to measure body size.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in adults, obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30.0 or more. But BMI isn’t everything. It has some limitations as a metric.
According to the CDC: “Factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and muscle mass can influence the relationship between BMI and body fat. Also, BMI doesn’t distinguish between excess fat, muscle, or bone mass, nor does it provide any indication of the distribution of fat among individuals.”
Despite these limitations, BMI continues to be widely used as a way to measure body size. Obesity is also very often associated with a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The following table is used for adults who are at least 20 years old:
BMI | Class |
---|---|
18.5 or under | underweight |
18.5 to <25.0 | “normal” weight |
25.0 to <30.0 | overweight |
30.0 to <35.0 | class 1 obesity |
35.0 to <40.0 | class 2 obesity |
40.0 or over | class 3 obesity (also known as morbid, extreme, or severe obesity) |
Eating more calories than you burn in daily activity and exercise — on a long-term basis — can lead to obesity. Over time, these extra calories add up and cause weight gain. But it’s not always just about calories in and calories out, or having a sedentary lifestyle. While those are indeed causes of obesity, some causes you can’t control.
Common specific causes of obesity include:
According to Bhagwad Gita Equanimity, Stability, Balance, Harmony, Equipoise is yoga i.e. Samatvam Yoga Ucchyate.
According to Sage Vashistha, yoga is the skill to calm down the mind i.e. Manah Prasanna up ayah yoga.
And according to Great Sage Maharishi Patanjali yoga is the cessation of mental modifications i.e. Yoga is to gain mastery over modifications of Mind.
According to Guruji Shubham Barwala Ji, yoga is the recognition of Mental Modifications the moment they arise in our consciousness.
According to Guruji Neeraj Medharthi, Ji Yoga is the state of perfect balance.
At Vedamrita our purpose is to bring the best and scientific research and evidence-based yoga therapy to our beloved readers and our students likewise and thereby increasing the general acceptability of Yoga therapy amidst the field of various treatments available. Below are a few research papers we find out related to yoga and Obesity.
Reducing psychological distress and obesity through Yoga practice
Dhananjai S, Sadashiv, Tiwari S, Dutt K, Kumar R. Reducing psychological distress and obesity through Yoga practice. Int J Yoga. 2013;6(1):66-70. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.105949
A Pilot Study of Iyengar Yoga for Pediatric Obesity: Effects on Gait and Emotional Functioning
Hainsworth KR, Liu XC, Simpson PM, et al. A Pilot Study of Iyengar Yoga for Pediatric Obesity: Effects on Gait and Emotional Functioning. Children (Basel). 2018;5(7):92. Published 2018 Jul 4. doi:10.3390/children5070092
Yogic Diet – Yoga for Obesity
Explore this Health Topic to learn more about Yoga for Obesity, the role of yoga and yoga therapy for various diseases, and where to find more information regarding it.
Read more about Yoga for Obesity
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