Is Weight Fluctuation a Risk Factor?

Being overweight has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and Canada. In adults it is defined as having a body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 26 or more. According to this criterion, approximately 39 percent of men and 36 percent of women have an excessive body mass for their stature.1 , 2 The public has been advised by health professionals and public health authorities to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, often defined as a body-mass index of about 20 to 25. The media also exert pressure to lose weight . . .