Obesity is unhealthy excess weight. It is the most common medical problem in our community. Depending on its definition, between 15% and 20% of the population in most Western countries is considered to be obese. The number of obese people in Australia and throughout the developed world has doubled over the last twenty years and with this increase has come a parallel increase in the incidence of Type II diabetes which is basically caused by obesity.
Obesity is a disease recognised by the World Health Organisation. It has a number of component causes including genetic factors, (eg. having family members who are obese) and environmental factors (eg. aspects of modern life including fast food, less active jobs etc.). The severity of obesity is determined by a measurement called the body mass index.
| BMI - kg/m2 | |
|---|---|
| Healthy Weight | 18 - 25 |
| Overweight | 25 - 30 |
| Obese | 30 - 35 |
| Severely Obese | 35 - 40 |
| Morbidly Obese | 40 and over |
Check your height (in centimeters) and current weight (in kilograms) and then use the BMI Calculator at the top of this web page or calculate by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.
Morbid obesity is usually associated with significant medical problems, known as comorbidities, which include hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnoea, depression, arthritis and premature death. Life expectancy becomes increasingly diminished as the body mass index rises, so that person with a body mass index of 40 has approximately twice the chance of premature death of a person with a normal body mass index. Morbid obesity is also associated with significant physical and social limitations.