Obesity is a severe disease that triggers a series of symptoms that increases its intensity over time. Obese people are characterized as having excess fat in their bodies. The National Health Institute defines morbid obesity as:

 

• Being 100 pounds above your ideal weight.
• Having a body mass index greater than 40.
• Having a body mass index greater than or equal to 35, with 1 or more co-morbid conditions.

 

It is considered a chronic disease that arises from a number of reasons such as eating foods high in fat, sugar and carbohydrates, a lack of physical activity and/or metabolic disorders (e.g. dysfunction of some endocrine glands like the thyroid gland).

 

Obesity is dangerous because it has been associated with various health complications such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, depression and it has also been identified  as a precursor to some malignant tumors.

 

A person is considered to be obese not only when they are overweight, but when their body fat percentage is higher than normal. For men, the ideal percentage is 10 to 14% and for women from 18 to 25%. When this percentage is 20% above the ideal percentage, then that person is considered obese even if he or she is at their ideal weight.

 

Nowadays, many ways exist to control and reduce this condition. Through diet, exercise and bariatric surgery it can be corrected.