Obesity and Comorbid Conditions

Obesity is defined as an “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk” by the World Health Organization (WHO). It has been recognized since ancient times, with Hippocrates writing that obesity is not only a disease but a harbinger of other conditions. There are many ways of measuring, such as the waist-to-hip ratios, skin impedance, and dual X-ray absorptiometry, but none remains as widely used as the body mass index (BMI), which was first introduced in 1972 and has seen little change since. Within this classification system, 4 main categories exist: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. BMI Classification Class I (Underweight) Class II (Healthy): 18.5 to 24.9 Class III (Overweight): 25 to 29.9 Class IV (Obese): 30+ It should also be noted that different countries and ethnicities have different cut-offs for obesity, particularly in Asia. For example, Japan uses >25kg/m^2 as the cut-off for being obese.Being overweight and obese has significant impacts on the individual's physical, mental and social health and negative effects on society in the form of increased healthcare expenditures. The global rates of obesity have seen a dramatic increase in the last decade, with some describing it as a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 42.4% of all adults in the United States are obese, and obesity affects 650 million people worldwide. An increased emphasis on health promotion and patient education to help with weight loss and preventing complications is of paramount importance.