Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Fat, Overweight & Chubby



Excess weight has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults being either overweight or obese in 2003. In 2013 this increased to more than 2 billion. Increases have been observed across all age groups.

  • Body mass index                                                                                                                                    The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of a person's weight taking into account their height. It is given by the formula: BMI equals a person's weight (mass) in kilograms divided by the square of the person's height in metres. The units therefore are kg/m2 but BMI measures are typically used and written without units. BMI provides a significantly more accurate representation of body fat content than simply measuring a person's weight. It is only moderately correlated with both body fat percentage and body fat mass (R2 of 0.68). It does not take into account certain factors such as pregnancy or bodybuilding; however, the BMI is an accurate reflection of fat percentage in the majority of the adult population.                                                                                                         
  • Body volume index                                                                                                                               The body volume index (BVI) was devised in 2000 as a computer, rather than manual, measurement of the human body for obesity and an alternative to the BMI Body volume index uses 3D software to create an accurate 3D image of a person so BVI can differentiate between people with the same BMI rating, but who have a different shape and different weight distribution.                   BVI measures where a person's weight and the fat are located on the body, rather than total weight or total fat content and places emphasis on the weight carried around the abdomen, commonly known as central obesity. There has been an acceptance in recent years that abdominal fat and weight around the abdomen constitute a greater health risk.


If an individual is overweight and has excess body fat it could, but won't always, create or lead to health risks. Reports are surfacing, however, that being mildly overweight to slightly obese – BMI being between 24 and 31.9 – may be actually beneficial and that people with BMI between 24 and 31.9 could actually live longer than normal weight or underweight persons.

Chubby means plump or slightly round. It does not imply gross obesity like the word "fat" does. Babies and cherubs are referred to often as chubby so the word takes on a cuteness in its implication.
slightly fat in a way that looks healthy and attractive:
"A chubby six-year-old. A baby with round chubby cheeks."

Fat, overweight, obese, chubby, plump, big, well-built. In general, people do not like to be called fat. But some ways to say "fat" are less rude than others. Fat is a very direct word. You might use it about yourself but it will usually cause offence if you use it about someone else. "I'm so fat at the moment!"
Overweight is a more polite way to say that someone is fatter than they usually are or than they should be. "She is a little overweight."
Obese is a word used especially by doctors to describe people who are very fat, in a way that is bad for their health.
A plump, motherly woman, big and well-built are fairly polite ways to describe someone with a large, strong, or fat body. "For big men like him, air travel can be uncomfortable."

Chubby Checker is the man who sang the song "The Twist." It was his nickname and stage name. His real name was Ernest Evans. People called him chubby because he was overweight but well loved by many so being chubby became an positive attribute for him. Much like Santa Claus.

The word chubby itself was around long before he was. It did not originate with him. It actually extends back to the 1600's. A chub was a short, thick fish used as bait.
Since 1558 it's been used to describe a "lazy person."

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