What Is Obesity?
As mentioned, obesity is generally defined as having excess weight.
But its not so simple.
As a medical term, obesity is defined usingbody mass index, or BMI.
What Are the Different Types of Obesity?
You may see what we call central obesity, which is when fat accumulates around the abdominal area.
For kids, doctors use aBMI percentilescale instead.
The shortened lifespan for people with class 3 obesity is likely due to the weight-related complications.
Patients with obesity beginning an exercise programmust think of the long term.
Be persistent, but safe.
Medical Devices
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What Are the Complications of Obesity?
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The Takeaway
Additional reporting byIngrid Strauch.
Common Questions & Answers
Obesity has the potential to affect every aspect of a persons health.
Class 3 obesityis defined as having a BMI over 40.
This used to be called morbid obesity.
It is associated with the greatest risk of additional health problems.
Having extra weight can affect your ability to conceive a child.
Excess weight can disrupt ovulation or prevent fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) from working.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of infertility, often coexists with obesity, too.
Obesity may worsen this issue because of fat deposits in tissues that block the upper airway.
He lives in Denver, where he enjoys spending time with family, and playing tennis.
She is also a communicator in the field of poverty policy and research.
Aside from journalism, her passions include running, fitness, and healthy living.