Thin but Obese

Just because someone appears to be skinny doesn't mean he or she is. A new report from the Mayo Clinic claims that many people experience "normal weight obesity," where the number on the scale is in a healthy range but the body mass index (BMI) indicates there is a large percentage of fat for one's composition.

Normal weight obesity is defined as having more than 20% body fat for men and 30% body fat for women, regardless of weight. Researchers say that this phenomenon is prevalent in society and is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome—a condition that is the first step towards having cardiovascular disease.

In your weight loss plan, make sure you are taking your BMI and fat burning into account. Simply focusing on the number on the scale when losing weight means you may be losing too much water or muscle and promoting normal weight obesity in your body. [Reuters]