WHAT IS OBESITY:

Clinicians most frequently use body weight or preferably the body mass index (BMI) (weight [kg]/height [m2]) to judge if a patient is 'overweight'. Very muscular individuals may be moderately overweight and not obese. Others with small frames and low muscle mass may be obese without fulfilling criteria for overweight.

Obesity is classified in 3 groups according to body weight (BW):

Obese: BW is 130 to 160 % more than ideal BW

Morbid obese: BW is 160 to 225 % more than ideal BW

Super obese: BW is >225 % more than ideal BW

Excessive BW is best described as body mass index (BMI) and BMI is calculated as kg/m2

BW is classified into 5 groups regarding BMI:

Normal: BMI 22-24 kg/m2

Overweight: BMI 25-34.9 kg/m2

Obese: 35-39.9 kg/m2

Morbid obese: 40-50 kg/m2

Super obese: >50 kg/m2