Obesity is having a high proportion of body fat, enough that it negatively affects your health. Being obese not only makes it more difficult to move around and perform physical activities, but it also increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and many other serious health problems.

Obesity is more than just being overweight. Being overweight also means you have a higher than average proportion of body fat, but that proportion is less than in someone who is obese. Even so, being overweight is also associated with health risks.

Obesity and being overweight are extremely common in the United States. One third of American adults are obese and another third are overweight; that means two out of every three adults is either obese or overweight! The numbers are lower for children but they have been rising steadily in recent years.

For most people who are obese or overweight, even a modest amount of weight loss can help reduce the health risks associated with these conditions. Losing weight is mostly a matter of lifestyle changes that include a healthy diet and increased physical activity. For those who do not respond to these changes, medications or surgery may also be used to help them lose weight.