The body mass index (BMI) is used as an indicator to measure obesity. The weight of the person is compared to the height of the person to get at the BMI. Overweight is indicated when the BMI is between 25 kg/m² and 30 kg/m². Obesity is indicated when the BMI is more than 30 kg/m². There are a number of health problems resulting from overweight and obesity. This includes diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoarthritis and certain type of cancer. Overweight and obesity makes one tired, lethargic, less energetic and less agile.

The estimates made by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that over 400 million adults in the world are obese. Obesity was declared as a global problem with epidemic proportion. Obesity is found to afflict move than half the United States urban adult population. It is a paradox that while a sixth of the population of the world are starving and going hungry, yet obesity due to over eating is a major problem. The booming weight loss market is brimming with revenue of $30 billion annually.

There are numerous weight loss diet plans such as the 7 day diet, The Atkins diet, Anne Collins Weight Loss Program, NutriSystem, Diet Smart, Master Cleanse Secret, Jon Benson’s Every Other Day diet and Beverly Hills diet and many more in the market. Anti-obesity drugs are also available which can reduce your appetite or burn away the fat directly.

A lose of just 10 percent of the body weight is good enough to begin with. What is more important is to maintain this weight for more than a year rather than further decline in the weight. Such an approach is more conducive to maintaining health. Consumption of low-fat low-calorie diet, a higher level of physical activity and a regular check on the weight can make sure that the weight loss achieved remains stable. It is common to see people jumping on to a starvation diet to lose weight and slim down. The human body on an average requires 1800 calories. If the calorie intake goes below 1200, there could be serious health problems. It is therefore safer and better to ensure the standard calorie intake and combine with physical exercises and a balanced diet.