It is an increase in body weight beyond the limitation of skeletal and physical requirements, as the result of excessive accumulation of body fats. It can be classified as Adult Onset Obesity, Life Long Obesity and Morbid Obesity. Adult onset obesity begins in adulthood and is characterized by increase in size (hypertrophy) of adipose cells with no increase in number. Life Long obesity in childhood and is characterized by an increase both in number (hyperplasia) and in size (hypertrophy) of adipose cells. Morbid Obesity is the condition where a person weighs two or more times than his ideal weight. This condition may be associated with many serious and life threatening disorders.
Severity of obesity
Mild obesity: > 120% of ideal weight but < 140% or BMI > 25 but < 30 or > 20 lbs but <50 lbs above ideal weight.
Moderate obesity: >140% of ideal weight but < 160% or BMI >30 but < 35 or > 50 lbs but < 75 lbs above ideal weight.
Morbid or severe obesity: > 160% of ideal weight or BMI > 35 but < 50 > 75 lbs above ideal weight.
Super obesity or malignant obesity: > 225% of ideal weight or BMI > 50.
Complications of obesity
The multitude and severity of complications are all directly proportional to the severity and duration of obesity and vary with the distribution of the body fat. Medical Complications
- Diabetes.
- Hypertension.
- Gallbladder disease.
- Gastrointestinal disorders.
- Menstrual irregularities.
- Degenerative arthritis.
- Venous stasis ulcers.
- Pulmonary hypoventilation syndrome, sleep apnea, snoring.
- Coronary artery disease & arterial sclerotic disease.
- Increased incidence of malignancies.
- Ovaries, cervix, uterus, breasts, prostate and gallbladder.
- Increased risks with surgeries.
- Accident proneness.
- Pseudotumor cerebri.
- Difficulties with physical examinations and other types of radiological evaluations because of the size.
