Overweight and Obesity

Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water.

Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat. A person can be overweight without being obese, as in the example of a bodybuilder or other athlete who has a lot of muscle. However, many people who are overweight are also obese.

Obesity is a worldwide public health problem, afflicting more than 250 million people. More than 60% of the adult population in the United States is overweight or obese and the numbers are growing steadily. It is estimated that 300,000 deaths annually in the United States may be attributed to obesity. Aside from an increased risk of death, obese patients have an increased risk of hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and other respiratory problems, and certain types of cancer.