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Obesity
Pronunciation
Definition 1
A condition marked by an abnormally high, unhealthy amount of body fat. (NCI Dictionary)
Definition 2
Having a high amount of body fat (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or more). (NCI Thesaurus)
Definition 3
A disorder characterized by having a high amount of body fat. (NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)
More information
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)
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