Obesity Summary Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person’s weight is greater than what’s considered healthy for his or her height. Obesity occurs over time when you eat more calories than you use. The balance between calories-in and calories-out differs for each person. Factors that might affect your weight include your genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods, and not being physically active. Being obese increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some cancers. If you are obese, losing even 5 to 10 percent 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. NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Related Issues Active at Any Size National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disability and Obesity Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Food for Thought: Obesity and Addiction Society for Neuroscience Hormones and Obesity Hormone Health Network Mind/Body Health: Obesity American Psychological Association Normal Weight Obesity: A Hidden Health Risk? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Obesity and Anesthesia American Society of Anesthesiologists Obesity and Cancer Risk National Cancer Institute Obesity and Your Digestive Health American College of Gastroenterology Treating Obesity As a Disease American Heart Association What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute What Causes Overweight and Obesity? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Prevention and Risk Factors Aim For a Healthy Weight National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Balance Food and Activity National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Diagnosis and Tests Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Body Fat Measurement Tools Shape Up America Body Mass Index Table National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute How Are Overweight and Obesity Diagnosed? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Screening for and Management of Obesity in Adults U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Men Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Women Belly Fat in Women: Taking –and Keeping– It off Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Array Body mass index Health risks of obesity Obesity Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) Health Check Tools Calculate Your Body Mass Index National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Obesity National Institutes of Health Teenagers Dealing With Feelings When You’re Overweight Nemours Foundation Start Here Defining Overweight and Obesity Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Obesity Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Overweight, Obesity, and Weight Loss Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Understanding Adult Overweight and Obesity National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases What Are Overweight and Obesity? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Statistics and Research Diabetes Interactive Atlas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FastStats: Obesity and Overweight National Center for Health Statistics Obesity Prevalence Maps Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Overweight and Obesity Statistics National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: United States, 2011-2014 National Center for Health Statistics Find an Expert Find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Weight-Control Information Network National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIH MedlinePlus Magazine From the Director, the Weight of the Nation Transforming Discovery into Health (Cancer Therapy and Obesity) Genetics Genetics Home Reference: Cohen syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: congenital leptin deficiency National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: leptin receptor deficiency National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: proopiomelanocortin deficiency National Library of Medicine Genomics and Health: Behavior, Environment, and Genetic Factors All Have a Role in Causing People to be Overweight and Obese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reference Desk Glossary of Terms Related to Healthy Eating, Obesity, Physical Activity, and Weight Control National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Weight Management and Obesity: General Information and Resources Food and Nutrition Information Center Treatments and Therapies How Are Overweight and Obesity Treated? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute MedlinePlus: Weight Control National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus: Weight Loss Surgery National Library of Medicine Children MedlinePlus: Obesity in Children National Library of Medicine Specifics Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Journal Articles Morbid obesity Obesity Patient Handouts Understanding Adult Overweight and Obesity National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Latest News Psoriasis Tied to Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes HealthDay Obese Women on Birth Control Pills May Face Higher Risk of Rare Stroke HealthDay More of World’s People Are Now Obese Than Underweight HealthDay Weight-Loss Surgery Gets People Moving HealthDay Heart Attacks Striking Younger, Fatter Americans HealthDay A Little Excess Weight May Boost Colon Cancer Survival HealthDay Genes Might Help Shield Some Black Men from Obesity HealthDay Stay Lean, Live Longer HealthDay ‘Paleo’ Diet May Help Older Women’s Hearts, Waistlines HealthDay Obesity May Not Take Years Off Your Life: Study HealthDay Weight-Loss Surgery May Boost Survival HealthDay Obesity Linked to Higher Asthma Risk in Women HealthDay Non-Surgical Procedure May Be New Weight-Loss Tool HealthDay Hormone May Be Linked to Teenage Obesity HealthDay Balloon-In-A-Pill May Be New Weight-Loss Tool HealthDay Severe Obesity May Boost Infection Risk After Heart Surgery HealthDay
