Fad diets and obesity--Part I: Measuring weight in a clinical setting.

Obesity is a recognized epidemic in many regions around the world and billions of dollars are spent each year in attempting to combat this problem. However, before a discussion of the different conventional and alternative treatments for obesity can be initiated, it is first critical to determine whether or not a certain individual is actually overweight, obese, or has an excess of adipose tissue. Therefore, a review of the various popular and unpopular measurements of obesity is needed. A variety of measurements exist such as bioelectrical impedance, body mass index (BMI), crude weight, densitometry, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), lean body mass (LBM), skinfold thickness, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). All of these measurements contain inherent advantages and disadvantages, but many of these can still be used in a clinical setting. Health professionals should acquaint themselves with these different measurements in order to take the first step in bringing attention to and potentially treating a condition that affects virtually every medical discipline.