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Obesity
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Metabolic Problems

Obesity

Obesity is a disease characterized by an excess of body fat that increases the risk of various serious health conditions.

What is obesity?

Obesity is a disease that means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. Both terms mean that your weight is greater than what's considered healthy for your height.

Body Mass Index (BMI) measures how much you weigh compared to how tall you are. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or more is considered to have obesity. Severe obesity is having a BMI of 40 or higher. Obesity increases your risk for many other diseases and health problems, especially if the extra body fat is carried around the waist.

What raises your risk of obesity?

Obesity happens over time from taking in more calories (through food and drinks) than used up from physical activity and daily living. Your body stores the extra calories as fat. The right balance between calories and activity is different for everyone.

There are many different factors that can affect your body weight. Certain medicines or medical conditions may affect your weight. Other factors include your:

  • Genetic makeup
  • Eating habits
  • Sex
  • Race or ethnicity
  • Physical activity level

How is obesity diagnosed?

To find out if you have obesity, your health care provider may:

  • Ask about your health history, which may include reviewing your weight history, weight-loss efforts, and how physically active you are.
  • Do a physical exam, which may include checking your height, weight, and vital signs, as well as listening to your heart and lungs.
  • Order blood tests or other imaging tests, which may include checking any known health problems, as well as for other weight-related diseases and health conditions.
  • Calculate your BMI, to check your risk for certain diseases. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk. BMI does not distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass. It may also overestimate body fat in athletes or those with a muscular build, or underestimate body fat in older persons, or others who have lost muscle.
  • Check your waist size, since a large waistline, with more body fat around your abdomen (belly) rather than your hips, increases your risk for weight-related health problems.

What health problems can obesity cause?

Having a larger body size can make your heart work harder, put extra pressure on your joints, and may increase your risk for many health conditions, including:

  • Type 2 diabetes.
  • Heart disease.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Stroke.
  • Metabolic syndrome.
  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Sleep apnea.
  • Pregnancy problems.
  • Fertility problems.
  • Some cancers.

If you have obesity, losing even 5 to 10% of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases. For example, that means losing 10 to 20 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.

What are the treatments for obesity?

Treatment plans for obesity may depend on your overall weight, other health conditions, and your willingness to participate in a weight-loss plan.

Your provider can tell you what a healthy weight is for you, help you set goals, and give you tips on how to lose weight. They may refer you to other providers that specialize in nutrition or weight loss to help you make realistic goals and provide support.

Possible treatments may include:

  • Dietary changes and exercise goals to help you learn how to adopt healthy nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes to lose weight safely and keep it off long term.
  • Counseling or support groups can give you encouragement and help you understand what's behind weight changes.
  • Weight-loss medicines to treat obesity.
  • Weight loss procedures or surgery if you have severe obesity or serious obesity-related health problems and have not been able to lose enough weight.

A healthy lifestyle that includes healthy eating patterns and regular physical activity can help you lose weight and lower your chance of developing complications related to obesity.

Frequently Asked Questions

While lifestyle modification is the first line of defense, clinical guidelines suggest considering weight-loss medications if you have a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with weight-related comorbidities, and have not achieved sustained weight loss after 3 to 6 months of intensive lifestyle changes. Bariatric surgery is typically evaluated for patients with a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with significant comorbidities like type 2 diabetes or severe sleep apnea. The decision is not based on a single date but on the trajectory of weight loss and the severity of associated health risks over several months of consistent effort.
Visceral fat, which accumulates deep within the abdominal cavity around organs, is metabolically active and releases inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids directly into the bloodstream. This type of fat is strongly linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. In contrast, subcutaneous fat, located just under the skin, is less metabolically harmful. Therefore, a person with a normal BMI but a large waist circumference (often defined as over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women) may have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome than someone with a higher BMI but a smaller waist, making waist measurement a crucial diagnostic tool alongside BMI.
Look for signs of metabolic stress such as persistent high blood pressure, elevated fasting blood glucose or HbA1c levels, and abnormal lipid panels. Physical indicators include snoring or pauses in breathing during sleep, which suggest obstructive sleep apnea, and unexplained swelling in the legs or abdomen. If you experience shortness of breath after minimal exertion, chest pain, or persistent fatigue despite adequate sleep, these are critical signals that excess body fat is straining your cardiovascular and respiratory systems and requires immediate medical evaluation.
Before your appointment, fast for 8 to 12 hours as directed by your provider, consuming only water, to ensure accurate fasting glucose and lipid results. Keep a detailed 3-day food and activity log prior to the visit to help your clinician identify dietary patterns contributing to metabolic issues. Be prepared to disclose all medications, including over-the-counter supplements, as some can affect liver enzymes or kidney function. During the exam, be honest about alcohol consumption and any history of joint pain, as these factors influence the interpretation of blood tests like ALT, AST, and creatinine.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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