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Core Concepts in Health Cover Image
Core Concepts in Health, 9/e
Paul M. Insel, Stanford University School of Medicine
Walton T. Roth, Stanford University School of Medicine

Weight Management


essential fat  The fat in the body necessary for normal body functioning.
nonessential (storage) fat  Extra fat or fat reserves stored in the body.
overweight  Body weight that falls above the range associated with minimum mortality.
percent body fat  The percentage of total body weight that is composed of fat.
*obesity  The condition of having an excess of nonessential body fat; having a body mass index of 30 or greater or having a percent body fat greater than 24% for men and 31% for women.
amenorrhea  The absence of menstruation.
body image  The mental representation a person holds about his or her body at any given moment in time, consisting of perceptions, images, thoughts, attitudes, and emotions about the body.
body mass index (BMI)  A measure of relative body weight that takes height into account and is highly correlated with more direct measures of body fat; calculated by dividing total body weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters).
resting metabolic rate (RMR)  The energy required to maintain vital body functions, including respiration, heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure, while the body is at rest.
eating disorder  A serious disturbance in eating patterns or eating-related behavior, characterized by a negative body image and concerns about body weight or body fat.
anorexia nervosa  An eating disorder characterized by a refusal to maintain body weight at a minimally healthy level and an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat; self-starvation.
bulimia nervosa  An eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating and purging: overeating and then using compensatory behaviors such as vomiting and excessive exercise to prevent weight gain.
binge-eating disorder  An eating disorder characterized by binge eating and a lack of control over eating behavior in general.
purging  The use of vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise, restrictive dieting, enemas, diuretics, or diet pills to compensate for food that has been eaten and that the person fears will produce weight gain.
female athlete triad  A condition of three interrelated disorders: abnormal eating patterns (and excessive exercising) followed by lack of menstrual periods (amenorrhea) and decreased bone density (premature osteoporosis).