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Facts on Morbid Obesity
What is morbid obesity?
The condition is defined as weight greater than 100 pounds over "ideal body weight;" a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to 40 kg/m2 or a BMI of 35 kg/m2 accompanied by life- threatening conditions related to obesity. Morbid obesity currently affects an estimated 5 to 10 million American adults.
What are the health risks associated with morbid obesity?
A significant health risk, morbid obesity leads to life-threatening conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disease, gynecologic cancer, high blood lipids, arthritis, sleep apnea and premature death.
In addition to decreasing quality of life and increasing risk of premature death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that obesity and overweight cost the nation about $117 billion in direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost wages due to illness.
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A good indicator of how much fat you carry is the Body Mass Index (BMI).
Although it is not a perfect measure, it gives a fairly accurate assessment of
how much of your body is composed of fat.
