Are you at your ideal weight? Overweight? Obese? Those are the questions researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill asked study participants, and they got some surprising answers. They found that about 70 percent of people who were average or somewhat overweight could accurately access their weight. However, when people were obese — defined as 20 percent heavier than ideal based on one's height — only 15 percent were aware of it. With over 33 percent of American adults falling into the category of "obese," that adds up to a whole lot of weight denial!

Experts speculate that the mental image most people have of what "obese" means is partly to blame. While in some cases it does mean weighing 400 or more pounds, usually it's less dramatic — perhaps just 25 to 30 pounds over a person's healthy weight range. Experts say the real danger is that people who are obese and don't realize it may not be tuning in to the health problems they're at risk for.

Don't be caught unawares — find out if your BMI is within the range considered to be healthy, and don't wait another day to face the facts and take action. Your health is too precious!