Obesity - Renewal Hormone Center

What is obesity?

Obesity is defined as having excess body fat that presents a risk to one's health. A person is considered obese when their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher. BMI is calculated based on a person's weight and height.

Obesity is a complex disease involving factors like genetics, lifestyle, and environment. The main causes of obesity include:

• Overeating - Consuming more calories than needed leads the body to store excess calories as fat. This is especially true for foods high in fat and sugar.
• Lack of physical activity - Not engaging in regular physical activity or exercise can lead to weight gain over time. Exercise helps burn calories and fat.
• Genetics and family history - Some people inherit a predisposition to gain weight more easily. Still, lifestyle remains the biggest factor for most people.

What are the health risks associated with obesity? Obesity significantly raises one's risk for chronic conditions like:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Stroke
• Osteoarthritis
• Fatty liver disease

Luckily, even modest weight loss of 5-10% can produce huge health benefits and reduce risk factors. So don't lose hope! Proven weight loss methods include improving nutrition, increasing activity levels, reducing stress, and sometimes using prescription medications or bariatric surgery.

I tried to cover the key aspects of defining and explaining obesity in this answer. Please let me know if you would like me to elaborate on any part of the explanation. I'm happy to clarify or add more detail where needed.