KL is a 24-year-old female with diagnosis of obesity and asthma. She shows up today in primary care physician office for her annual physical exam. While you are getting her vitals and weight, KL tells you she has gained 10# in the last 2 months, and that she really wants to lose some weight. She is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 235 pounds currently. You also got her measurement of waist circumference, which is 42 inches. KL mentions she read from the Internet that “The Rock” has a high BMI and is technically “obese”, and wonders if BMI is useful. She describes her typical day as below: she has a sedentary lifestyle and sits in front of a computer all day at work. She usually gets a quick breakfast from McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts when she gets her morning coffee on the way to work, and then a quick lunch from one of the fast-food restaurants near work during her 30 minutes lunch break. She drinks bottled iced tea throughout the day because she doesn’t like the taste of tap water.
Q1. Please calculate KL’s BMI and explain to her how BMI is calculated and classified, including general classifications and her classification.
Q2. Please explain to KL some of the limitations of BMI as a health screening tool.
Q3. Please explain to KL how distribution of excess body fat is associated with risks of obesity-related diseases, and why her waist circumference is relevant.
Q4. Please describe some recommended weight-loss practices and how they apply to KL based on information available.