What is obesity?

Worldwide, obesity kills almost 3 million people each year.²

Obesity is now widely considered a chronic disease.¹

Explore this website to further understand the science behind obesity. Then visit your GP to discover science based treatment options.

What you need to know

• Obesity is now recognized worldwide as a chronic disease with severe health and quality of life consequences.^1-3

• Misinformation and misunderstandings of obesity’s scientific causes and treatments are widespread.³

• The stigma of obesity means people are wrongly blamed by society for their disease and discriminated against.^2,4

Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index, or BMI, is a calculation based on your height and weight to place you in a weight category: underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.^5,6,7

BMI is a very general measure that places you in 1 of 6 broad weight categories – underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese.⁸

BMI classes and comorbidity risks⁸

_References

_{1. Bray G, et al. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation, Obesity Rev 2017; 18(7); 715–23.}

_{2. Wolfenden L, et al.  The challenge for global health systems in preventing and managing obesity. Obesity Reviews. 2019;(S2):185–193.}

_{3. Caterson I, et al. Gaps to bridge: Misalignment between perception, reality and actions in obesity, Diabetes Obes Metab 2019; 21(8): 1914–24.} 

_{4. Oldham M, Robinson E. Visual body size norms and the under-detection of overweight and obesity. Obes Sci Pract 2017; 4(1): 29–40.}

_{5. RACP. Action to prevent obesity and reduce its impact across the life course – Evidence Review. 2018. Available at https://www.racp.edu.au/docs/default-source/advocacy-library/racp-obesity-position-statement.pdf}

_{6. Bray G, et al. The Science of Obesity Management: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement. Obesity Rev 2018; 39; 79-132}

_{7. ANZOS and ADS. 2019. The Australian Obesity Management Algorithm. Available at: http://anzos.com/assets/Obesity-Management-Algorithm-18.10.2016.pdf. Accessed September 2019.}

_{8. RACGP Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP): A population health guide to behavioural risk factors in general practice, 2nd edition. Melbourne: Available at https://www.racgp.org.au/FSDEDEV/media/documents/Clinical%20Resources/Guidelines/SNAP-guideline.pdf. Accessed December 2019.}