Symptoms and Signs of Obesity

Doctor's Notes on Obesity

Obesity is a result of the accumulation of excess fat on the body. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30. The BMI is a measure of your weight relative to your height. Obesity is considered a chronic disease that has serious long-term health consequences for overall health, and it is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.

The main symptom of obesity is excess weight. Being obese can cause or increase the risk of other health problems including

• heart disease,
• diabetes,
• high blood pressure,
• stroke,
• osteoarthritis (especially knee and hip joint pain, and lower back pain),
• gout,
• gallstones,
• lung disease,
• insomnia from sleep apnea and snoring,
• fungal rashes in skin folds,
• colon cancer, endometrial cancer,
• depression, and
• dementia.