Obesity Defined

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the term “overweight” refers to body weight that is at least 10 percent over the recommended weight for a certain individual. Recommended weight standards are generated based on a sampling of the U.S. population or by body mass index (BMI), a calculation that assesses weight relative to height. In common terms, “overweight” refers to an individual with a BMI of more than 25. Obesity typically refers to any individual with a BMI of more than 30. BMIs of 30-34.9 are considered Class I moderately obese; 35-39.9 are considered Class II severely obese; and BMIs of 40 and above are considered Class III morbidly obese.