Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person's weight is greater than what's considered healthy for his or her height.
Obesity occurs over time when you eat more calories than you use. The balance between calories-in and calories-out differs for each person. Factors that might tip the balance include your genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods and not being physically active.
Being obese increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and some cancers. If you are obese, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Overweight and Obesity(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_whatare.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dcisp/Diseases/obe/obe_whatare.html
- Understanding Adult Obesity(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/understanding.htm
- Defining Overweight and Obesity(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm
- Overweight and Obesity(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/
- Overweight, Obesity, and Weight Loss(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/overweight-weight-loss.cfm
- Weight-Loss Gene May Keep Smokers Thinner(05/06/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83902.html
- Remembrance of Fat May Be at Root of Cravings(04/29/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83563.html
- Teen Weight Gain May Mean More Adult Belly Fat(04/23/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83326.html
- National Leadership for Obesity Prevention and Control(04/13/2009, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HaltingObesity/
- Heart-Healthy, Reduced-Calorie Diets Promote Long-Term Weight Loss(02/25/2009, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2009/nhlbi-25.htm
- More News on Obesity http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_o.html#obesity
- Aim for a Healthy Weight: Assessing Your Risk(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm
- Body Mass Index Chart(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm
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MedlinePlus: Weight Loss Surgery(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/weightlosssurgery.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/weightlosssurgery.html
- Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/prescription.htm
- Very Low-Calorie Diets(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/low_calorie.htm
- Key to Nutrition: A Diversified Portfolio(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health) - http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=4081&lvl=3&lvlID=287
- What Is Energy Balance?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/learn-it/balance.htm
- Active at Any Size(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/active.htm
- Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/health_risks.htm
- Medical Care for Obese Patients(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/medical.htm
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Obesity and Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/cancer/hojas-informativas/obesidad-respuestas
- Obesity and Sleep(National Sleep Foundation) - http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.huIXKjM0IxF/b.4850853/k.9B04/Obesity_and_Sleep.htm
- Obesity and the Environment(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - Links to PDF - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/scied/documents/Fact%20Sht%20Obesity%202005%20final.pdf
- Overweight and Obesity: Contributing Factors(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm
- Sex Differences in Obesity(Society for Women's Health Research) - http://swhr.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=hs_facts_obesity
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Calculate Your Body Mass Index(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/sp_bmi-m.htm
- If I Had - Morbid Obesity(Insidermedicine) - http://www.insidermedicine.com/archives/If_I_Had_Morbid_Obesity_Dr_Michael_Tarnoff_MD_FACS_Tufts_University_School_of_Medicine_2966.aspx?p=mdlnp
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Obesity(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Obesity%22
- Genetics Home Reference: Cohen syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=cohensyndrome
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Obesity & Genetics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Obesity/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/especialesCDC/obesidad/
- Abdominal Obesity Associated with Heart Failure in Swedish Middle-Age; Older Adults(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=705
- New NIH-Supported Study Characterizes Social Networks of Family, Friends Influencing Obesity(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jul2007/nia-25.htm
- Obesity in Pregnancy May Up Risk of Some Birth Defects(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/research/obesity_pregnancy.html
- Overweight, Obese Women Improve Quality of Life with 10 to 30 Minutes of Exercise(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=364
- Article: Endocannabinoid system and cardio-metabolic risk. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19385504&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Effects of age, gender, obesity, and diabetes on the efficacy... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19356442&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Reduction in risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19349560&tool=MedlinePlus
- Obesity -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=obesity[majr:noexp]+AND+english[la]+AND+(humans[mh]+NOT+child[mh])+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]))&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Morbid obesity -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=obesity,morbid[majr]+NOT+(bariatric+surgery[majr]+OR+anastomosis,roux-en-y[majr]+OR+biliopancreatic+diversion[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Obesity, Physical Activity, and Weight-Control Glossary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/glossary.htm
- American Society of Bariatric Physicians: Locate a Physician(American Society of Bariatric Physicians) - http://www.asbp.org/locate_physician.php
- Find a Nutrition Professional(American Dietetic Association) - http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_4874_ENU_HTML.htm
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Weight-Control Information Network(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/
- WIN Notes(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/notes/
- FastStats: Overweight(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm
- Obesity Data/Statistics(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health) - http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=537
- Overweight and Obesity: Obesity Trends: U.S. Obesity Trends 1985 - 2006(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/
- Preventing Obesity and Chronic Diseases through Good Nutrition and Physical Activity(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/factsheets/Prevention/obesity.htm
- Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/
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MedlinePlus: Obesity in Children(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesityinchildren.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/obesityinchildren.html
- Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/belly-fat/MC00054/METHOD=print
- Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep It Off(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/belly-fat/WO00128/METHOD=print
- Weight Control - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/weightcontrol.html
- Weight Loss Surgery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/weightlosssurgery.html
- Food and Nutrition - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodandnutrition.html
- Metabolic Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/metabolicproblems.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Obesity is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
Obesity - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/obesity.html