Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRisksChartTreatmentWeight Loss GoalsSupport
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Risks
Chart
Treatment
Weight Loss Goals
Support
Being overweight is defined as having more body fat than is ideal for good health.Body mass index (BMI) is a measuring tool to define whether a person is in the overweight category.
It’s important to remember BMI isnot an exactmeasure of health—it simply indicates that a person might want to get tested for health issues usually associated with higher BMI.
This article discusses morbid obesity and BMI, the risks associated with morbid obesity, how to treat morbid obesity, and getting support for recovery.
Body mass indexis a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
Body mass indexis a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
Morbid Obesity, BMI, and Weight Risks
Being about 80 to 100 pounds over the reference body weight for your height could put you in the category of morbidly obese on the BMI chart. A high BMI might not mean you are unhealthy since BMI is only a screening tool to determine risks to screen for.
However, knowing your BMI category could be a way for you and your healthcare provider to gauge which tests might be necessary to monitor your health and what risks you might face. For example, people with morbid obesity aged 25 to 35 could be 12 times more likely to die prematurely when compared to their peers.
A BMI in the morbidly obese category, or a BMI of 40 kg/m2(88 pounds per foot squared) or higher, could increase the chances of the following health conditions:
Chart to Visualize Morbid Obesity Classification
Below is an example of a BMI chart, which canclassify people’s weightand, as a result, screen for health risks. However, BMI is not a direct indicator of health problems. To determine if your BMI is a concern, discuss your symptoms and necessary lab work with a healthcare provider.
Causes and Risk Factors
Treating Morbid Obesity: Where Do You Start?
The first step towardtreating morbid obesityis to speak to a healthcare provider on how to do so safely. For instance, starting a new exercise regime with a high BMI could put you at greater risk for injury, and meeting with a trainer or speaking to your healthcare provider could be advised.
The following are some ways to begin morbid obesity treatment.
Behavioral Changes
Modifying Diet
Dietary changes can be done in a variety of ways, including:
Whenstarting an exercise programwith a high BMI, it’s recommended to start slowly, with shorter bouts of exercise, which could include:
Other exercises that help with weight loss include:
Some safety measures to incorporate when exercising could include:
Prescription Medication
Over-the-Counter Medication
Weight loss pills usually claim to increase metabolism andsuppress appetite. Most of these claims are not verified, and some can be unsafe. For instance, supplements could interfere with medications you’re taking or cause high blood pressure or worsen heart problems.
Weight loss pills often contain one or more of the following:
Some OTC weight loss supplements are simply diuretics, meaning they cause water loss. This could cause dehydration and loss of minerals. Therefore, diuretics are not recommended as a weight loss tool.
Surgery
A BMI over 40 can make a person a candidate for bariatric surgery, A candidate for bariatric surgery might:
Whether bariatric surgery is a safe option for you also requiresmedical and psychological analysisbeforehand.
“Bariatric surgery” is a general term for weight loss surgery. Some common bariatric surgery options are
Weight Loss Goals for Morbid Obesity
Weight loss generally consists of these three goals:
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it’s recommended to:
Support and Commitment to Morbid Obesity Recovery
Morbid obesity treatment does not have to be a solo effort. In fact, getting help from support systems could be key to recovery.
Mental Health and Treating Morbid ObesityHaving obesity can be linked to mental health concerns, and working on mental health along with physical health can be key to maintaining recovery.A person living with morbid obesity may have the following mental health difficulties:Being 5 times more likely to have experienced depression within the past yearEating for emotional reasonsBinge eating disorder, which can sabotage weight loss efforts even after bariatric surgeryAnxiety disorders, which are common among bariatric surgery patients, and some of this is social anxiety because of societal judgmentsSubstance use disorder: About 10% of bariatric surgery patients could have a drug or alcohol problem, and it could be related to impulse control that affects eating.
Mental Health and Treating Morbid Obesity
Having obesity can be linked to mental health concerns, and working on mental health along with physical health can be key to maintaining recovery.A person living with morbid obesity may have the following mental health difficulties:Being 5 times more likely to have experienced depression within the past yearEating for emotional reasonsBinge eating disorder, which can sabotage weight loss efforts even after bariatric surgeryAnxiety disorders, which are common among bariatric surgery patients, and some of this is social anxiety because of societal judgmentsSubstance use disorder: About 10% of bariatric surgery patients could have a drug or alcohol problem, and it could be related to impulse control that affects eating.
Having obesity can be linked to mental health concerns, and working on mental health along with physical health can be key to maintaining recovery.
A person living with morbid obesity may have the following mental health difficulties:
There are several ways to find support when recovering from morbid obesity, including:
Summary
Morbid obesity is defined as having a BMI of 40 or higher. Morbid obesity is associated with a host of health conditions, including heart problems, breathing difficulty, joint pain, mental health concerns, increased likelihood of cancer, and a decrease of 10 to 15 years in life expectancy.
Treating morbid obesity can start with behavioral changes like avoiding temptations or eating fewer processed foods. Dietary changes for weight loss might include reducing calories or a macronutrient, like carbohydrates.
Exercising for morbid obesity treatment can start small with actions like parking farther from destinations to increase steps or water aerobics.
Morbid obesity can also be treated via prescription medications, which might include appetite suppressants or medications like orlistat, which prevents fat absorption. Alli is the over-the-counter version of orlistat. Those diagnosed with morbid obesity might also be qualified for bariatric surgery.
When planning weight loss, losing 10% of your body fat at a time, or 1 to 2 pounds a week, is generally advised.
Support for weight loss can be found online or in person via group therapy, volunteer-run support groups, or weight loss programs like Weight Watchers.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Obesity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.UPMC.Defining obesity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Obesity and overweight causes and risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Causes of obesity.UCSF Health.Obesity treatments.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Losing weight: getting started.MedlinePlus.Binge eating disorder.Adams S, Wijk E.Effects of acute alcohol consumption on food intake and pictorial Stroop response to high-calorie food cues.Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2021;56(3):275-283. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agaa063NHS Inform.Obesity.MedlinePlus.10 ways to cut 500 calories a day.University of Utah Health.Weight loss medications (anti-obesity medications.National Institutes for Health.Dietary supplements for weight loss.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Non-prescription products for weight loss.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & facts of weight-loss surgery.American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.Bariatric surgery procedures.National Institutes for Health.Goals of weight management/treatment.Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM.The psychosocial burden of obesity.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016;45(3):677-688.UC San Diego Health.Obesity treatment overview.Obesity Action Coalition.Education and support.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Obesity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.UPMC.Defining obesity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Obesity and overweight causes and risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Causes of obesity.UCSF Health.Obesity treatments.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Losing weight: getting started.MedlinePlus.Binge eating disorder.Adams S, Wijk E.Effects of acute alcohol consumption on food intake and pictorial Stroop response to high-calorie food cues.Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2021;56(3):275-283. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agaa063NHS Inform.Obesity.MedlinePlus.10 ways to cut 500 calories a day.University of Utah Health.Weight loss medications (anti-obesity medications.National Institutes for Health.Dietary supplements for weight loss.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Non-prescription products for weight loss.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & facts of weight-loss surgery.American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.Bariatric surgery procedures.National Institutes for Health.Goals of weight management/treatment.Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM.The psychosocial burden of obesity.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016;45(3):677-688.UC San Diego Health.Obesity treatment overview.Obesity Action Coalition.Education and support.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
World Health Organization.Obesity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.UPMC.Defining obesity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Obesity and overweight causes and risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Causes of obesity.UCSF Health.Obesity treatments.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Losing weight: getting started.MedlinePlus.Binge eating disorder.Adams S, Wijk E.Effects of acute alcohol consumption on food intake and pictorial Stroop response to high-calorie food cues.Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2021;56(3):275-283. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agaa063NHS Inform.Obesity.MedlinePlus.10 ways to cut 500 calories a day.University of Utah Health.Weight loss medications (anti-obesity medications.National Institutes for Health.Dietary supplements for weight loss.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Non-prescription products for weight loss.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & facts of weight-loss surgery.American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.Bariatric surgery procedures.National Institutes for Health.Goals of weight management/treatment.Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM.The psychosocial burden of obesity.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016;45(3):677-688.UC San Diego Health.Obesity treatment overview.Obesity Action Coalition.Education and support.
World Health Organization.Obesity.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.
UPMC.Defining obesity.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Obesity and overweight causes and risk factors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Causes of obesity.
UCSF Health.Obesity treatments.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Losing weight: getting started.
MedlinePlus.Binge eating disorder.
Adams S, Wijk E.Effects of acute alcohol consumption on food intake and pictorial Stroop response to high-calorie food cues.Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2021;56(3):275-283. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agaa063
NHS Inform.Obesity.
MedlinePlus.10 ways to cut 500 calories a day.
University of Utah Health.Weight loss medications (anti-obesity medications.
National Institutes for Health.Dietary supplements for weight loss.
MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Non-prescription products for weight loss.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & facts of weight-loss surgery.
American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.Bariatric surgery procedures.
National Institutes for Health.Goals of weight management/treatment.
Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM.The psychosocial burden of obesity.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016;45(3):677-688.
UC San Diego Health.Obesity treatment overview.
Obesity Action Coalition.Education and support.
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