Overview

Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity

isn't just a cosmetic concern. It is a medical problem that increases your risk of
other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood
pressure and certain cancers.

There are many reasons why some people have difficulty avoiding obesity. Usually,
obesity results from a combination of inherited factors, combined with the
environment and personal diet and exercise choices.

The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health
problems associated with obesity. Dietary changes, increased physical activity and
behavior changes can help you lose weight. Prescription medications and weight-loss
procedures are additional options for treating obesity.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases,
including cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, which are the
leading causes of death worldwide. Being overweight can also lead to diabetes and
its associated conditions, including blindness, limb amputations, and the need for
dialysis. Rates of diabetes have quadrupled since around the world since 1980.
Carrying excess weight can lead to musculoskeletal disorders including
osteoarthritis. Obesity is also associated with some cancers, including endometrial,
breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney and colon. The risk of these
noncommunicable diseases increases even when a person is only slightly overweight
and grows more serious as the body mass index (BMI) climbs.

Obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications

and an increased risk of premature onset of related illnesses. Studies have found
that without intervention, children and adolescents with obesity will likely continue
to be obese into adulthood.

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Obesity facts

In the U.S., obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

In the U.S., obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

Obesity means having excess body fat. Adults 35 years of age and older with a BMI
greater than 30 are obese.

Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration. It is a chronic medical disease that can lead
to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity associated cardiovascular disease such as heart
disease, gallstones, and other chronic illnesses.

Obesity is a risk factor for a number of cancers.

Obesity is difficult to treat and has a high relapse rate. Most people who lose weight
regain the weight within five years.

Even though medications and diets can help, the treatment of obesity cannot be a short-
term "fix" but has to be a lifelong commitment to proper diet habits, increased physical
activity, and regular exercise.

The goal of treatment should be to achieve and maintain a "healthier weight," not
necessarily an ideal weight.

Even a modest weight loss of 5%-10% of initial weight and the long-term maintenance of
that weight loss can bring significant health benefits by lowering blood pressure and
lowering the risks of diabetes and heart disease.

The chances of long-term successful weight loss are enhanced if the doctor works with a
team of professionals, including dietitians, psychologists, and exercise professionals.

Weight Gain, Obesity & Cancer Risk

Excess weight is a known risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart
disease. Obesity can also be linked an increased risk for developing some cancers. To
clarify the effects of weight gain on cancer risk, researchers in 2007 conducted an
analysis of many studies reported in medical journals that describe 282,137 cases of
cancer. The researchers wanted to see if weight gain had an effect on the risk for certain
cancer types.

Learn more about the link between obesity and cancer »

What is obesity?
The definition of obesity varies depending on what one reads. In general, overweight and
obesity indicate a weight greater than what is healthy. Obesity is a chronic condition
defined by an excess amount of body fat. A certain amount of body fat is necessary for
storing energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions.

Body mass index best defines obesity. A person's height and weight determines his or her
body mass index. The body mass index (BMI) equals a person's weight in kilograms (kg)
divided by their height in meters (m) squared (more information will be found later in the
article). Since BMI describes body weight relative to height, there is a strong correlation
with total body fat content in adults. An adult who has a BMI of 25-29.9 is overweight,
and an adult who has a BMI over 30 is obese. A person with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 has a
normal weight. A person is morbidly obese (extreme obesity) if his or her BMI is over 40.

How common is obesity?

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Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Over two-thirds of adults
are overweight or obese, and one in three Americans is obese. The prevalence of obesity in
children has increased markedly. Obesity has also been increasing rapidly throughout the
world, and the incidence of obesity nearly doubled from 1991 to 1998. In 2015, nearly 40%
of adults were obese in the U.S.

SLIDESHOW

Surprising Reasons for Weight Gain

See Slideshow

What are the health risks associated with obesity?

Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration; it is harmful to one's health as it is a risk

factor for many conditions. In the United States, roughly 112,000 deaths per year are
directly related to obesity, and most of these deaths are in patients with a BMI over 30.
Patients with a BMI over 40 have a reduced life expectancy. Obesity also increases the
risk of developing a number of chronic diseases, including the following:

Insulin resistance. Insulin is necessary for the transport of blood glucose (sugar) into the
cells of muscle and fat (which the body uses for energy). By transporting glucose into cells,
insulin keeps the blood glucose levels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the
condition whereby there is diminished effectiveness of insulin in transporting glucose
(sugar) into cells. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; therefore, one
important cause of insulin resistance is obesity. The pancreas initially responds to insulin
resistance by producing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to
overcome this resistance, blood glucose levels remain normal. This insulin resistance state
(characterized by normal blood glucose levels and high insulin levels) can last for years.
Once the pancreas can no longer keep up with producing high levels of insulin, blood glucose
levels begin to rise, resulting in type 2 diabetes, thus insulin resistance is a pre-diabetes
condition.

Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with the degree and
duration of obesity. Type 2 diabetes is associated with central obesity; a person with
central obesity has excess fat around his/her waist (apple-shaped figure).

High blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension is common among obese adults. A

Norwegian study showed that weight gain tended to increase blood pressure in women
more significantly than in men.

High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)

Stroke (cerebrovascular accident or CVA)

Heart attack. A prospective study found that the risk of developing coronary artery
disease increased three to four times in women who had a BMI greater than 29. A Finnish
study showed that for every 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) increase in body weight, the risk of
death from coronary artery disease increased by 1%. In patients who have already had a
heart attack, obesity is associated with an increased likelihood of a second heart attack.

Congestive heart failure

Cancer. Obesity is a risk factor for cancer of the colon in men and women, cancer of the
rectum and prostate in men, and cancer of the gallbladder and uterus in women. Obesity
may also be associated with breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. Fat
tissue is important in the production of estrogen, and prolonged exposure to high levels of
estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer.

Gallstones

Gout and gouty arthritis

Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) of the knees, hips, and the lower back

Sleep apnea