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Facts concerning Many Americans are at increased health risk because they are obese. The U.S. Surgeon General, in a 1988 report on nutrition and health, estimated that one-fourth of adult Americans are overweight. is a known risk factor for chronic diseases incl ....

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.... parts of the body. The second involves sending a harmless amount of electric current through a person's body (bioelectric impedance analysis). Both methods are commonly used in health clubs and in commercial weight- loss programs, but results should be viewed skeptically. Because measuring a person's body fat is tricky, doctors often rely on other means to diagnose obesity. Two widely used measurements are weight- for-height tables and body mass index. While both measurements have their limitations, they are reliable indicators that someone may have a weight problem. They are easy to calculate and require no special equipment. One problem with ....