Being overweight or obese puts you at greater risk for diseases, such as:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Some types of cancer

If you are overweight, losing even a small amount of weight makes a big difference.

Losing just 5 to 10% of your current weight helps lower your risk for these conditions. Any one of these tips is a good place to start. For example, if you now weigh 250 pounds, that would mean losing between 12 and 25 pounds.

• Drink water instead of high calorie sodas, juices or sports drinks.
• Eat a balanced diet of lower fat, lower calorie foods and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Get active. 
• Aim for 30-60 minutes each day.
• Limit TV watching to 2 hours or less each day.
• Watch your portion sizes.  Restaurant servings are often enough for 2 people.

Are you now at a healthy weight?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure that estimates total body fat based on a person's height and weight and it can be used for both men and women.  It is a much better way to know if you are at a healthy weight.  BMI uses a person's weight and height to measure total body fat. The higher a person's BMI, the greater the risk of developing additional health problems. The goal is to have your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 for a healthy weight. 

Find out your BMI

For More Information

Weight Information Network 
A website of the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases.

Related Programs and Services

Office of Health Promotion