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A person living with obesity walking in a green outdoor setting, representing an active lifestyle alongside educational content about obesity as a chronic disease.

What is Obesity?

Let’s start by clarifying what obesity is—and what it isn’t. Obesity isn’t a reflection of who you are, nor is it a sign of poor willpower or laziness. 15

Obesity is a chronic disease 1,1a that affects millions worldwide. The causes of obesity are complex and include genetics, environment, diet, lifestyle, and social factors. Just like other chronic conditions, obesity and health risks can significantly impact your life and those around you.2

What is Obesity?

Let’s start by clarifying what obesity is—and what it isn’t. Obesity isn’t a reflection of who you are, nor is it a sign of poor willpower or laziness. 15

Obesity is a chronic disease 1,1a that affects millions worldwide. The causes of obesity are complex and include genetics, environment, diet, lifestyle, and social factors. Just like other chronic conditions, obesity and health risks can significantly impact your life and those around you.2

Obesity is a disease

Living with obesity can lead to health issues, including physical limitations and mental health challenges. Obesity is linked to more than 200 complications, 3,4 such as diabetes, heart disease, and sleep disorders.13,14

Many people feel stuck after repeated attempts at fat loss or cutting weight, often regaining weight despite their best efforts. 5 Biological resistance—such as increased hunger, feeling less full, and changes in metabolism—can make it harder to sustain weight loss. 6 When you understand the cause of obesity and why it’s difficult to lose weight, you and your doctor can explore solutions like balanced diet for weight loss, lifestyle changes, and various other weight management option to help you take control .1,7

Are you living with obesity?

Body Mass Index (BMI) and Obesity

Defining obesity is more than just a number on a scale. BMI (Body Mass Index) is one of the most common indicators, but it’s not the whole picture. 8

What is BMI? It’s a calculation that compares your weight to your height to estimate body fat. While BMI can help categorize obesity, your doctor may also consider waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and how being overweight affects your health and quality of life—physically, mentally, and socially. 9, 10

Enter your height and weight to calculate your BMI and check the chart below

This body BMI calculator works for adults and provides a quick way to measure your BMI and understand your category. Whether you’re looking for a BMI calculator for women, BMI calculator for men, or a general adult BMI calculator, this tool helps you find your BMI instantly.

BMI CALCULATOR


BMI ranges8

≤18.5

If your BMI is less than 18.5kg/m2, it falls within the underweight range.

18.5 - 22.9

If your BMI is 18.5 to 22.9kg/m2, it falls within the healthy weight range.

23.0 - 24.9

If your BMI is 23.0 to 24.9kg/m2, it falls within the overweight range.

25.0 - 29.9

If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9kg/m2, it falls within the obesity grade 1 range.

30.0 - 34.9

If your BMI is 30.0 to 34.9kg/m2, it falls within the obesity grade 2 range.

≥35.0

If your BMI is 35.0kg/m2 or higher, it falls within the obesity grade 3 range.

“I’ve always thought managing my weight was my responsibility, but it's tough to live a healthy life consistently - when I diet, I'm so hungry. I never realized that obesity is a disease, and now I wonder if something else is playing a bigger role than I thought.”

— Kamal S.

*Quotes adapted from obesity research interviews. Names are pseudonyms for privacy.

What can make weight loss so difficult?

Woman with obesity

Losing weight is one thing, but sustaining fat loss is another challenge altogether.11 Many people lose weight, only to regain it later.5

Why does this happen? The answer lies in the causes of obesity and causes of being overweight, which go beyond willpower. 15 Biological resistance,7 hormonal changes, and metabolism shifts make long-term weight loss difficult.6 These factors can lead to health issues related to obesity and increase health risks like diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems due to obesity. 13,14

Research shows that when you stay at a certain weight for a long time, your body adapts.6,7,12 When you start losing weight, it burns fewer calories, making your efforts less effective.12 Hormonal responses can also make you feel less full and hungrier more often. These physiological mechanisms promote weight regain and make it harder to sustain results.7

It’s important to understand that it’s not your fault. Obesity is a chronic disease.1,1a Options like a balanced diet for weight loss, medical support, and even clinically supervised weight management options can help you break the cycle and reduce diseases caused by obesity.2

“Eating right and staying active helps, but maintaining progress is tough. Diets work at first, but then my body adapts and I’m back to square one”

— Raquel S.*

*Quotes adapted from obesity research interviews. Names are pseudonyms for privacy
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  1. ESI Obesity Guidelines Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism ¦ Volume 26 ¦ Issue 4 ¦ July-August 2022 1a: Obesity and overweight , WHO, 1 March 2024

  2. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What causes obesity & overweight? Reviewed July 28, 2021. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/obesity/conditioninfo/cause

  3. Horn DB, Almandoz JP, Look M. What is clinically relevant weight loss for your patients and how can it be achieved? A narrative review. Postgrad Med. 2022;134(4):359-375. doi:10.1080/00325481.2022.2051366

  4. Albano G, Rowlands K, Baciadonna L, et al. Interpersonal difficulties in obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis to inform a rejection sensitivity-based model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;107:846-861.doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.039

  5. Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2018;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012

  6. Ochner CN, Barrios DM, Lee CD, et al. Biological mechanisms that promote weight regain following weight loss in obese humans. Physiol Behav. 2013;120:106-113. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.07.009

  7. MacLean PS, Bergouignan A, Cornier MA, et al. Biology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2011;301(3):R581–R600. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00755.2010

  8. World Health Organization. (2020). Body mass index – BMI. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

  9. Busetto L, Dicker D, Frühbeck G, et al. A new framework for the diagnosis, staging and management of obesity in adults. Nat Med. Published online July 5, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41591-024-03095-3

  10. Stephenson J, Smith CM, Kearns B, et al. The association between obesity and quality of life: a retrospective analysis of a large-scale population-based cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1990. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-12009-8

  11. Apovian CM, Aronne LJ, Bessesen DH, et al. Endocrine Society. Pharmacological management of obesity: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100(2):342-362. doi:10.1210/jc.2014-3415

  12. Melby CL, Paris HL, Foright RM, et al. Attenuating the biologic drive for weight regain following weight loss: must what goes down always go back up? Nutrients. 2017;9(5):468. doi:10.3390/nu9050468

  13. Greenway FL. Physiological adaptations to weight loss and factors favouring weight regain. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015;39(8):1188-1196. doi:10.1038/ijo.2015.59

  14. Roh E, Choi KM. Hormonal gut–brain signaling for the treatment of obesity. Int J Mol Sci 2023;24(4):3384. doi:10.3390/ijms24043384

  15. Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010). Obesity stigma: Important considerations for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 100(6), 1019–1028. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.159491