Difference Between Overweight and Obesity

Overweight vs Obesity

Globally there are more than 1 billion adults who are overweight and at least 300 million of these people are suffering from obesity. There are major risks of being overweight and being obese. These are type 2-diabetes, hypertension tendencies and cardiovascular problems, stroke and many kinds of cancer. The main reasons for such high saturation of fats are serious eating disorder and consumption of high saturated fats, sugar and no work out. People who are above the normal weight are often called as overweight or suffering from obesity. However, there is a fine difference between being overweight and obesity.

An overweight person is one who weighs more than that is normal or needed to be fit. Overweight is actually when a person weighs much more than the weight that is considered as healthy according to one’s age and height. However, obesity is a term which is used when a person has a body weight due to the accumulation of fat in the body.

According to the medical dictionary, over heaviness is being overweight. Hence when a person makes his physical appearance more fat as compared to what is required for the normal fitness and health of the body we call him to be overweight. An overweight person has a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9. However, obesity is a state when excessive amount of body fat is stored in the body as compared to the mass. The body mass index of an obese person is 30.0 to 39.9. A person who has a BMI of 40.0 or above is considered as terribly obese. The Body Mass Index or BMI is a method that uses the height and weight to measure the amount of fat that is normal for a person to perform his daily activities. For calculating BMI, we divide the weight of the person in kg by height in meters squared. This is for inches and pounds.

When food supplies are plenty and lifestyle is moderate people plunge into every mouth watering food they like. The result is that around 64% of the adult population of United States is considered overweight. Hence, overweight is a factor that is now found in almost all age groups. Obese on the other hand quite near to being overweight. It is when a person possesses more fat than what is required for the normal functions of the organ. Our body needs fat for reproduction, hormonal, immune systems, energy for activities we perform on a daily basis. The excess fat that’s collected causes obesity.