Classification and pharmacological management of obesity.

Patient assessment should begin with a determination of the body mass index (BMI). The patient’s weight and height are used to calculate the patient’s BMI, which is considered to be an indirect measurement of body fat. After the BMI is known, patients can be further separated into classes. Assessment should also include waist circumference, because excess abdominal fat has been shown to be an independent risk factor for disease. Waist measurements of 40 inches or greater in men and 35 inches or greater in women are associated with an increased risk of type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardio vascular disease (Table 1).3