Am I overweight?
(The BMI)

Let's see if you are overweight. To do this a calculation is done , your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a calculation determined by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared:
If your BMI is between 30 and 40 or higher, you are clinically obese. Check your details in the box below to calculate your BMI.

Is your height or weight not on the chart? Check out the link below to get your BMI

http://www.healthyliving.gov.uk/howhealthy/index.cfm?contentid=1385

The following figures indicate what BMI means for your weight and health:
BMI at or below:

Fat distribution

Fat is distributed over several areas of the body. The most obvious place is our ‘bellies.' This can be easily measured with a tape measure. Fat measurements can be taken by pinching the skin at the sides of the stomach (the ‘love handles') . Special fat callipers can be used to determine the size and amount of fat tissue. These can both be used as measures in weight loss.

What's wrong with being overweight?

OK so you've weighed yourself and according to the BMI tables your overweight, so what?
Well lets look at what effects being overweight may have on your body:-

There is good evidence to suggest that a moderate weight loss of 5–10% of body weight will have a major impact on the health problems of obesity. Weight reductions of 5–10 kg have been shown to improve back and joint pain, symptoms of breathlessness and sleep apnoea (breathing problems when sleeping) Marked improvements in blood pressure and other risk factors for coronary heart disease have also been seen in individuals successful at losing weight Two recent studies have demonstrated that a substantial number of cases of diabetes could be prevented through modest weight loss (i.e. <5 kg).

Table of benefits from a 10% weight loss

What this all means is that if you are over weight you may be affecting your health, lose weight and things should improve.