Obesity vs Overweight: How They Differ and Why It’s Dangerous?
When it comes to understanding body weight and health, the comparison between obesity vs overweight highlights important differences in the severity of excess body fat and the associated health risks. The terms “overweight” and “obesity” are often used interchangeably. However, there is a significant difference in the health implications when comparing obesity vs overweight.
Both conditions are measured by an individual’s body mass index (BMI), but they represent different levels of excess body fat. While overweight refers to having more body weight than is considered healthy for a given height, obesity is a more severe condition involving excessive fat accumulation. The distinction between the two is crucial, as it affects both personal health risks and the strategies needed for management and prevention. Understanding these differences can guide individuals in making informed decisions about their health.
WHO’s Response:
According to WHO, overweight is caused by excess fat accumulation in the body while obesity is a long-term complication caused by excessive fat accumulation. An adult with a body mass index (BMI) between 25.0-29.9 is considered overweight while a person with a BMI of 30.0 or more falls in the category of obesity.
WHO has recognized the need to tackle the global obesity crisis in an urgent manner for many years.
The World Health Assembly Global Nutrition Targets aiming to ensure no increase in childhood overweight, and the NCD target to halt the rise of diabetes and obesity by 2025, were endorsed by WHO Member States. They recognized that accelerated global action is needed to address pervasive and corrosive problem of the double burden of malnutrition.
At the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022, Member States demanded and adopted new recommendations for the prevention and management of obesity and endorsed the WHO Acceleration plan to stop obesity.
Facing a double burden of malnutrition:
Many low- and middle-income countries face a so-called double burden of malnutrition.
While these countries continue to deal with the problems of infectious diseases and undernutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in noncommunicable disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight.
It is common to find undernutrition and obesity co-existing within the same country, the same community and the same household.
Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate pre-natal, infant, and young child nutrition. At the same time, these children are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense, and micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost but also lower in nutrient quality. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with lower levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity while undernutrition issues remain unsolved.
Common health consequences:
Being overweight in childhood and adolescence affects children’s and adolescents’ immediate health and is associated with greater risk and earlier onset of various NCDs, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Childhood and adolescent obesity have adverse psychosocial consequences; it affects school performance and quality of life, compounded by stigma, discrimination and bullying. Children with obesity are very likely to be adults with obesity and are also at a higher risk of developing NCDs in adulthood.
Causes of overweight and obesity:
In most cases obesity is a multifactorial disease due to obesogenic environments, psycho-social factors and genetic variants. In a subgroup of patients, single major etiological factors can be identified (medications, diseases, immobilization, iatrogenic procedures, monogenic disease/genetic syndrome).
Facts about overweight and obesity:
Adults
For adults- WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows:
- Overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and
- Obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.
Children aged between 5-19 years
Overweight and obesity are defined as follows for children aged between 5-19 years:
- Overweight is BMI-for-age greater than 1 standard deviation above the WHO Growth Reference median; and
- Obesity is greater than 2 standard deviations above the WHO Growth Reference median.
For children under 5 years of age
- Overweight is weight-for-height greater than 2 standard deviations above WHO Child Growth Standards median; and
- Obesity is weight-for-height greater than 3 standard deviations above the WHO Child Growth Standards median.
Prevention and management:
- Ensure appropriate weight gain during pregnancy;
- Practice exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months after birth and continued breastfeeding until 24 months or beyond;
- Support behaviours of children around healthy eating, physical activity, sedentary behaviours and sleep, regardless of current weight status;
- Limit screen time;
- Limit consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and energy-dense foods and promote other healthy eating behaviours;
- Enjoy a healthy life (healthy diet, physical activity, sleep duration and quality, avoid tobacco and alcohol, emotional self- regulation);
- Limit energy intake from total fats and sugars and increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes.
What is BMI:
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a numerical value derived from a person’s weight and height. It is used as a simple screening tool to categorize individuals into weight categories, such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese.
The formula for calculating BMI is:
BMI=weight (kg)/height (m)²
Alternatively, for weight in pounds and height in inches:
BMI=weight (lbs) × 703/height (in)²
BMI Categories:
Underweight: BMI less than 18.5
Normal weight: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9
Obese: BMI of 30 or higher
While BMI is widely used, it doesn’t directly measure body fat, so it may not fully represent a person’s health status. Factors like muscle mass, age, and distribution of fat are also important.
Overview:
Overweight is a condition of excessive fat deposits.
Obesity is a chronic complex disease defined by excessive fat deposits that can impair health. Obesity can lead to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it can affect bone health and reproduction, it increases the risk of certain cancers. Obesity influences the quality of living, such as sleeping or moving.
In conclusion, understanding the difference between overweight and obesity is essential for both health professionals and individuals looking to improve their well-being. While both conditions involve excess body weight, obesity represents a more significant health risk due to the higher level of body fat. By recognizing these distinctions, people can better address the health challenges associated with each condition and take proactive steps toward healthier lifestyles. Whether through diet, exercise, or medical intervention, managing both overweight and obesity can greatly reduce the risk of developing serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
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Stay healthy! Stay Fit!
