Obesity and overweight fact sheet from WHO providing key facts and information on causes, health consequences, double burden of disease, prevention, WHO response.
What are the health consequences of being overweight? Being overweight or obese can have a serious impact on health. Carrying extra fat leads to serious health consequences such as cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke), type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders like osteoarthritis, and some cancers (endometrial, breast and ...
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. In 2019, an estimated 5 million noncommunicable disease (NCD) deaths were caused by higher-than-optimal BMI.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in countries in the WHO European Region is consistently high, fuelling diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other life-threatening noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). At the same time, parents of children living with overweight or obesity tend to underestimate their children’s weight status. These are the findings from the new WHO/Europe report ...
Overweight and obesity affect almost 60% of adults and nearly one in three children (29% of boys and 27% of girls) in the WHO European Region. Recent estimates suggest that overweight and obesity is the fourth most common risk factor for NCDs in the Region, after high blood pressure, dietary risks and tobacco.
Everyday Health on MSN: Overweight vs. obesity: Understanding the differences and health impacts
Learn the key differences between being overweight and having obesity, the limitations of BMI, and the latest medical treatments for sustainable weight loss.