The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that an overwhelming 64 percent of U.S. women and 72 percent of U.S. men are either overweight or obese. If your body mass index, or BMI, is 25 or greater you fall into the overweight category. If your BMI is 30 or above, you're considered obese based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards.

Obese individuals can reduce the chronic disease risk by losing weight. To determine your BMI, multiply 703 by your body weight in pounds and divide that number by the square of your height in inches.

Reduced-Calorie Diets as a Weight Loss Strategy

In general, eating fewer calories than you burn off each day is the only way to lose weight in a timely manner. The American Dietetic Association recommends overweight and obese individuals lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week for the first six months. You can accomplish this rate of weight loss by reducing your daily intake by 500 to 1,000 calories each day or combining calorie reduction with increased physical activity.

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