Obesity and overweight

When we talk about an excess of our body weight we mean that in comparison to our height, we are weighing more than what is considered normal within healthy clinical patterns. Weight is a category that can be very confusing, not always weighing more than normal is a symptom of poor health, since our body is composed of different elements such as bones, muscles, fluids, among others. The excess weight that worries us is that which originates from a very high surplus of fat.

Not all overweight is the same, it is possible to be overweight for just a few kilos and maintain good health. There are overweights that are very worrying and there is also the phenomenon known as obesity, which must be addressed more urgently.

In this guide we will address the issues of obesity, its effects on health and its difference with moderate overweight.

Differences between obesity and overweight

Overweight begins at the moment in which the values of our height do not correspond to our weight, for this you should consult a clinical table, which will show you the weight ranges appropriate for your height. A moderate overweight is not risky, in fact a great part of the world population is overweight and never develops diseases related to this overweight.

The most risky thing about being permissive towards overweight is that the fact of being in this physical condition is a sign that our eating behaviors and the physical activity we do is not adequate, therefore if we persist in these habits we will develop obesity with the passage of time.

Obesity, on the other hand, is a very serious eating disorder that puts our own life at risk. It is one of the most common causes of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, degrades health very quickly and affects our quality of life.

To determine whether a person is obese, it is not based on a subjective perception of the evaluator, since being fat does not necessarily mean being obese. A key variable is used: the body mass index (BMI). This index relates the person's weight and height, and a result equal to or greater than 30 would indicate the presence of obesity.

BMI is often complemented with other tests, such as measurement, because its margin of error tends to occur in people with high levels of muscle mass. In these cases, the BMI may be inaccurate or may not accurately reflect the obesity of the individual being evaluated.

Risks of obesity

Being obese makes you prone to develop a wide range of deadly diseases, from serious cardiovascular sy