Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Overweight?What Is Obesity?Health RisksOther Risk FactorsTreatmentPrevention

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Overweight?

What Is Obesity?

Health Risks

Other Risk Factors

Treatment

Prevention

Forty-two percent of adults in the United States have obesity, achronic diseasethat increases the risk for numerous health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and joint problems.

Overweight, a category that indicates a lesser amount of excess weight, also increases the risk of certain health problems. Fortunately, both overweight and obesity are treatable through lifestyle changes, and in some cases, medications or surgery.

This article takes a closer look at the difference between overweight and obesity. It discusses health problems that are associated with higher body mass index (BMI), along with how overweight and obesity are treated and prevented.

andreswd / Getty Images

obese Woman being weighed at the doctor’s office

Overweight is defined as being too heavy for one’s height. The term is used both as a noun (people with overweight), and as an adjective (people who are overweight), though the latter is considered stigmatizing.

BMI is increasingly recognized to be a dated, flawed measure because 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.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

BMI calculators are readily available to use, such as the one offered here. Just enter your information to learn your BMI.

Why There’s Controversy Over Body Mass Index Values

The medical definition for obesity also hinges on the BMI calculation. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater.

A BMI of 40.0 or greater is often referred to as “morbid obesity." Meanwhile, a person may be eligible for bariatric surgery if they have a BMI of 35 or higher.

Again, BMI is just a rough measure that doesn’t consider body composition. For example, athletes who are highly muscular may have a high BMI due to their greater muscle weight rather than body fat. Thus, BMI is intended to be used only as one part of a more detailed clinical assessment.

Many studies have shown that the likelihood of many health conditions increases as BMI increases. In particular, having a higher BMI increases your risk of the following:

Overweight and obesity are associated with a higher risk of dying prematurely than normal weight. The risk of premature death increases as BMI increases, highlighting the importance of a healthy diet and exercise for both weight control and longevity.

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Other Factors That Impact Health

In terms of cancer, which is widely considered agenetic disease, it’s been found that some gene variants associated with obesity are also associated with cancer.

Genes are believed to play a strong role in the development of many medical conditions mentioned above, including:

You cannot change your genetic makeup, but you can change your lifestyle. Some lifestyle changes may even counteract genetic risk, especially a healthy diet and regular exercise.

For example, poor diet and lack of physical activity are risk factors for higher BMIs and cancer. But, adopting a healthy eating plan and exercising regularly reduces the risk of obesity and cancer independently, as well as obesity-related cancers.

Furthermore, adopting a healthy lifestyle substantially reduces the risk of premature death due to any cause. A healthy lifestyle entails more than eating healthy and exercising regularly. It also means no cigarette smoking and limiting alcohol intake.

If you are diagnosed with overweight or obesity, your healthcare provider will work with you to develop atreatmentplan that may include one or more of the following:

Dietary changes:To lose weight, you will need to gradually eat fewer calories than you burn per day. Eating more nutrient-dense foods, like fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, and cutting outprocessed foods, is good for your heart and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Work with your healthcare provider to create an eating plan that is safe and sustainable for you.

Physical activity:If you have co-occurring medical conditions, especially cardiovascular disease, talk with your healthcare provider about a safe and effective exercise plan for you. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensityaerobic exerciseper week and less sitting throughout the day.

Behavioral weight-loss programs:These programs usually involve a reduced-calorie diet, physical activity goals, and behavioral strategies that help create a healthier relationship with food and/or exercise. Programs often provide customized goals and schedules, counseling to help change unhealthy lifestyle patterns, and strategies to prevent future weight gain.

Medications:When healthy lifestyle changes are not enough to reach weight loss goals, your healthcare provider may suggest a weight loss medication that can be taken in addition to lifestyle changes. There are eightFDA-approved drugs for weight management, including Xenical, Contrave, and Zepbound.

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Health Coverage

As far as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are concerned, obesity has been categorized as a chronic illness since 2004. Since 2011, Medicare has covered the cost of behavioral therapy for patients with a diagnosis of obesity.

This may consist of screening with BMI and waist circumference, dietary assessment, and high-intensity behavioral interventions. Coverage for bariatric surgery is also available under certain criteria.

The only way to prevent overweight or obesity is to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes:

Forming a Healthy Relationship With FoodExcessive cravings, uncontrolled binge eating, emotional eating, and a higher preference for processed foods are signs of an unhealthy relationship with food that can lead to overweight, obesity, and other health consequences.If you experience these symptoms, talk therapy and/or behavioral interventions, such ascognitive behavioral therapy, may help.

Forming a Healthy Relationship With Food

Excessive cravings, uncontrolled binge eating, emotional eating, and a higher preference for processed foods are signs of an unhealthy relationship with food that can lead to overweight, obesity, and other health consequences.If you experience these symptoms, talk therapy and/or behavioral interventions, such ascognitive behavioral therapy, may help.

Summary

36 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.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Overweight and obesity statistics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.National Institutes of Health.Obesity and people with higher weight.Eisenburg D, Shikora S, Aarts E, et al.2022 American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) indications for metabolic and bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2023;33(1):3-14. doi:10.1007/s11695-022-06332-1Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Health risks.Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid R.Obesity and cancer: A current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Khanna D, Khanna S, Khanna P, Kahar P, Patel B.Obesity: A chronic low-grade inflammation and its markers.Cureus. 2022 Feb;14(2):e22711. doi:10.7759/cureus.22711American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.Type 2 diabetes and metabolic surgery.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Weight loss improves asthma control.Zhang J, Chen L, Shen K, et al.Association between metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and gallstones in Chinese adults.Nutr & Metab. 2023;20(20):1-9. doi:10.1186/s12986-023-00741-4Jin Z, Wang Z, Wang R, et al.Global burden and epidemic trends of gout attributes to high body mass index from 1990 to 2019. doi:10.5114/aoms/175469Hojs R, Ekart R, Bevc S, Hojs N.Chronic kidney disease and obesity.Nephron. 2023 Jun;147(11):660-664. doi:10.1159/000531379Divella R, Mazzocca A, Daniele A, Sabbà C, Paradiso A.Obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and adipocytokines in promotion of cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2019 Jan;15(3):610–616. doi:10.7150/ijbs.29599Onyemaechi N, Anyanwu G, Obikili E, Onwuasoigwe O, Nwankwo O.Impact of overweight and obesity on the musculoskeletal system using lumbosacral angles.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016 Mar;10(1):291–296. doi:10.2147/PPA.S90967National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome?.Hayden M.Overview and new insights into the metabolic syndrome: Risk factors and emerging variables in the development of type 2 diabetes and cerebrocardiovascular disease.Medicine (Kaunas). 2023 Mar;59(3):561. doi:10.3390/medicina59030561Itriyeva K.The effects of obesity on the menstrual cycle.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2022 Aug;52(8):101241. doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2022.101241Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.As overweight and obesity increase, so does risk of dying prematurely.Lan N, Lu Y, Zhang Y, et al.FTO - A common genetic basis for obesity and cancer.Front Genet. 2020 Nov;11(1):559138. doi:10.3389/fgene.2020.559138American Diabetes Association.Genetics of diabetes.American Lung Association.Asthma causes & risk factors.National Institute on Aging.Alzheimer’s disease genetics fact sheet.Stanford Medicine.Hereditary causes of osteoarthritis.Cedars Sinai.Gallstones.Zhang Y, Yang R, Dove A, et al.Healthy lifestyle counteracts the risk effect of genetic factors on incident gout: A large population-based longitudinal study.BMC Med. 2022 Apr;20(1):138. doi:10.1186/s12916-022-02341-0Ziki M, Mani A.Metabolic syndrome: Genetic insights into disease pathogenesis.Curr Opin Lipidol. 2016 Apr;27(2):162-171. doi:10.1097/MOL.0000000000000276American Cancer Society.Diet and physical activity: What’s the cancer connection?.Wang K, Li Y, Liu G, et al.Healthy lifestyle prevention of premature death among users and nonusers of common preventive medications: A prospective study of 2 US cohorts.J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Jun;9(13):e016692. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.016692National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity treatment.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Get regular physical activity.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity.Batsis JA, Huyck KL, Bartels SJ.Challenges with the Medicare obesity benefit: practical concerns & proposed solutions.J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(1):118-122. doi:10.1007/s11606-014-3031-6US Preventive Services Task Force.Behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA.2018;320(11):1163-1171. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.13022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How quit smoking medications work.Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, et al.Red wine consumption and cardiovascular health.Molecules. 2019 Oct;24(19):3626. doi:10.3390/molecules24193626De Almeida R, Kamath G, Cabandugama P.Food addiction in application to obesity management.Mo Med. 2022 Aug;119(4):372-378.

36 Sources

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.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Overweight and obesity statistics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.National Institutes of Health.Obesity and people with higher weight.Eisenburg D, Shikora S, Aarts E, et al.2022 American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) indications for metabolic and bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2023;33(1):3-14. doi:10.1007/s11695-022-06332-1Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Health risks.Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid R.Obesity and cancer: A current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Khanna D, Khanna S, Khanna P, Kahar P, Patel B.Obesity: A chronic low-grade inflammation and its markers.Cureus. 2022 Feb;14(2):e22711. doi:10.7759/cureus.22711American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.Type 2 diabetes and metabolic surgery.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Weight loss improves asthma control.Zhang J, Chen L, Shen K, et al.Association between metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and gallstones in Chinese adults.Nutr & Metab. 2023;20(20):1-9. doi:10.1186/s12986-023-00741-4Jin Z, Wang Z, Wang R, et al.Global burden and epidemic trends of gout attributes to high body mass index from 1990 to 2019. doi:10.5114/aoms/175469Hojs R, Ekart R, Bevc S, Hojs N.Chronic kidney disease and obesity.Nephron. 2023 Jun;147(11):660-664. doi:10.1159/000531379Divella R, Mazzocca A, Daniele A, Sabbà C, Paradiso A.Obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and adipocytokines in promotion of cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2019 Jan;15(3):610–616. doi:10.7150/ijbs.29599Onyemaechi N, Anyanwu G, Obikili E, Onwuasoigwe O, Nwankwo O.Impact of overweight and obesity on the musculoskeletal system using lumbosacral angles.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016 Mar;10(1):291–296. doi:10.2147/PPA.S90967National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome?.Hayden M.Overview and new insights into the metabolic syndrome: Risk factors and emerging variables in the development of type 2 diabetes and cerebrocardiovascular disease.Medicine (Kaunas). 2023 Mar;59(3):561. doi:10.3390/medicina59030561Itriyeva K.The effects of obesity on the menstrual cycle.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2022 Aug;52(8):101241. doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2022.101241Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.As overweight and obesity increase, so does risk of dying prematurely.Lan N, Lu Y, Zhang Y, et al.FTO - A common genetic basis for obesity and cancer.Front Genet. 2020 Nov;11(1):559138. doi:10.3389/fgene.2020.559138American Diabetes Association.Genetics of diabetes.American Lung Association.Asthma causes & risk factors.National Institute on Aging.Alzheimer’s disease genetics fact sheet.Stanford Medicine.Hereditary causes of osteoarthritis.Cedars Sinai.Gallstones.Zhang Y, Yang R, Dove A, et al.Healthy lifestyle counteracts the risk effect of genetic factors on incident gout: A large population-based longitudinal study.BMC Med. 2022 Apr;20(1):138. doi:10.1186/s12916-022-02341-0Ziki M, Mani A.Metabolic syndrome: Genetic insights into disease pathogenesis.Curr Opin Lipidol. 2016 Apr;27(2):162-171. doi:10.1097/MOL.0000000000000276American Cancer Society.Diet and physical activity: What’s the cancer connection?.Wang K, Li Y, Liu G, et al.Healthy lifestyle prevention of premature death among users and nonusers of common preventive medications: A prospective study of 2 US cohorts.J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Jun;9(13):e016692. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.016692National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity treatment.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Get regular physical activity.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity.Batsis JA, Huyck KL, Bartels SJ.Challenges with the Medicare obesity benefit: practical concerns & proposed solutions.J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(1):118-122. doi:10.1007/s11606-014-3031-6US Preventive Services Task Force.Behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA.2018;320(11):1163-1171. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.13022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How quit smoking medications work.Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, et al.Red wine consumption and cardiovascular health.Molecules. 2019 Oct;24(19):3626. doi:10.3390/molecules24193626De Almeida R, Kamath G, Cabandugama P.Food addiction in application to obesity management.Mo Med. 2022 Aug;119(4):372-378.

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.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Overweight and obesity statistics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.National Institutes of Health.Obesity and people with higher weight.Eisenburg D, Shikora S, Aarts E, et al.2022 American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) indications for metabolic and bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2023;33(1):3-14. doi:10.1007/s11695-022-06332-1Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Health risks.Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid R.Obesity and cancer: A current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Khanna D, Khanna S, Khanna P, Kahar P, Patel B.Obesity: A chronic low-grade inflammation and its markers.Cureus. 2022 Feb;14(2):e22711. doi:10.7759/cureus.22711American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.Type 2 diabetes and metabolic surgery.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Weight loss improves asthma control.Zhang J, Chen L, Shen K, et al.Association between metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and gallstones in Chinese adults.Nutr & Metab. 2023;20(20):1-9. doi:10.1186/s12986-023-00741-4Jin Z, Wang Z, Wang R, et al.Global burden and epidemic trends of gout attributes to high body mass index from 1990 to 2019. doi:10.5114/aoms/175469Hojs R, Ekart R, Bevc S, Hojs N.Chronic kidney disease and obesity.Nephron. 2023 Jun;147(11):660-664. doi:10.1159/000531379Divella R, Mazzocca A, Daniele A, Sabbà C, Paradiso A.Obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and adipocytokines in promotion of cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2019 Jan;15(3):610–616. doi:10.7150/ijbs.29599Onyemaechi N, Anyanwu G, Obikili E, Onwuasoigwe O, Nwankwo O.Impact of overweight and obesity on the musculoskeletal system using lumbosacral angles.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016 Mar;10(1):291–296. doi:10.2147/PPA.S90967National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome?.Hayden M.Overview and new insights into the metabolic syndrome: Risk factors and emerging variables in the development of type 2 diabetes and cerebrocardiovascular disease.Medicine (Kaunas). 2023 Mar;59(3):561. doi:10.3390/medicina59030561Itriyeva K.The effects of obesity on the menstrual cycle.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2022 Aug;52(8):101241. doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2022.101241Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.As overweight and obesity increase, so does risk of dying prematurely.Lan N, Lu Y, Zhang Y, et al.FTO - A common genetic basis for obesity and cancer.Front Genet. 2020 Nov;11(1):559138. doi:10.3389/fgene.2020.559138American Diabetes Association.Genetics of diabetes.American Lung Association.Asthma causes & risk factors.National Institute on Aging.Alzheimer’s disease genetics fact sheet.Stanford Medicine.Hereditary causes of osteoarthritis.Cedars Sinai.Gallstones.Zhang Y, Yang R, Dove A, et al.Healthy lifestyle counteracts the risk effect of genetic factors on incident gout: A large population-based longitudinal study.BMC Med. 2022 Apr;20(1):138. doi:10.1186/s12916-022-02341-0Ziki M, Mani A.Metabolic syndrome: Genetic insights into disease pathogenesis.Curr Opin Lipidol. 2016 Apr;27(2):162-171. doi:10.1097/MOL.0000000000000276American Cancer Society.Diet and physical activity: What’s the cancer connection?.Wang K, Li Y, Liu G, et al.Healthy lifestyle prevention of premature death among users and nonusers of common preventive medications: A prospective study of 2 US cohorts.J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Jun;9(13):e016692. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.016692National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity treatment.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Get regular physical activity.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity.Batsis JA, Huyck KL, Bartels SJ.Challenges with the Medicare obesity benefit: practical concerns & proposed solutions.J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(1):118-122. doi:10.1007/s11606-014-3031-6US Preventive Services Task Force.Behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA.2018;320(11):1163-1171. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.13022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How quit smoking medications work.Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, et al.Red wine consumption and cardiovascular health.Molecules. 2019 Oct;24(19):3626. doi:10.3390/molecules24193626De Almeida R, Kamath G, Cabandugama P.Food addiction in application to obesity management.Mo Med. 2022 Aug;119(4):372-378.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Overweight and obesity statistics.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About adult BMI.

National Institutes of Health.Obesity and people with higher weight.

Eisenburg D, Shikora S, Aarts E, et al.2022 American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) indications for metabolic and bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2023;33(1):3-14. doi:10.1007/s11695-022-06332-1

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Health risks.

Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid R.Obesity and cancer: A current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485

Khanna D, Khanna S, Khanna P, Kahar P, Patel B.Obesity: A chronic low-grade inflammation and its markers.Cureus. 2022 Feb;14(2):e22711. doi:10.7759/cureus.22711

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.Type 2 diabetes and metabolic surgery.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Weight loss improves asthma control.

Zhang J, Chen L, Shen K, et al.Association between metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and gallstones in Chinese adults.Nutr & Metab. 2023;20(20):1-9. doi:10.1186/s12986-023-00741-4

Jin Z, Wang Z, Wang R, et al.Global burden and epidemic trends of gout attributes to high body mass index from 1990 to 2019. doi:10.5114/aoms/175469

Hojs R, Ekart R, Bevc S, Hojs N.Chronic kidney disease and obesity.Nephron. 2023 Jun;147(11):660-664. doi:10.1159/000531379

Divella R, Mazzocca A, Daniele A, Sabbà C, Paradiso A.Obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and adipocytokines in promotion of cancer.Int J Biol Sci. 2019 Jan;15(3):610–616. doi:10.7150/ijbs.29599

Onyemaechi N, Anyanwu G, Obikili E, Onwuasoigwe O, Nwankwo O.Impact of overweight and obesity on the musculoskeletal system using lumbosacral angles.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016 Mar;10(1):291–296. doi:10.2147/PPA.S90967

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome?.

Hayden M.Overview and new insights into the metabolic syndrome: Risk factors and emerging variables in the development of type 2 diabetes and cerebrocardiovascular disease.Medicine (Kaunas). 2023 Mar;59(3):561. doi:10.3390/medicina59030561

Itriyeva K.The effects of obesity on the menstrual cycle.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2022 Aug;52(8):101241. doi:10.1016/j.cppeds.2022.101241

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.As overweight and obesity increase, so does risk of dying prematurely.

Lan N, Lu Y, Zhang Y, et al.FTO - A common genetic basis for obesity and cancer.Front Genet. 2020 Nov;11(1):559138. doi:10.3389/fgene.2020.559138

American Diabetes Association.Genetics of diabetes.

American Lung Association.Asthma causes & risk factors.

National Institute on Aging.Alzheimer’s disease genetics fact sheet.

Stanford Medicine.Hereditary causes of osteoarthritis.

Cedars Sinai.Gallstones.

Zhang Y, Yang R, Dove A, et al.Healthy lifestyle counteracts the risk effect of genetic factors on incident gout: A large population-based longitudinal study.BMC Med. 2022 Apr;20(1):138. doi:10.1186/s12916-022-02341-0

Ziki M, Mani A.Metabolic syndrome: Genetic insights into disease pathogenesis.Curr Opin Lipidol. 2016 Apr;27(2):162-171. doi:10.1097/MOL.0000000000000276

American Cancer Society.Diet and physical activity: What’s the cancer connection?.

Wang K, Li Y, Liu G, et al.Healthy lifestyle prevention of premature death among users and nonusers of common preventive medications: A prospective study of 2 US cohorts.J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Jun;9(13):e016692. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.016692

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity treatment.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Get regular physical activity.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity.

Batsis JA, Huyck KL, Bartels SJ.Challenges with the Medicare obesity benefit: practical concerns & proposed solutions.J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(1):118-122. doi:10.1007/s11606-014-3031-6

US Preventive Services Task Force.Behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA.2018;320(11):1163-1171. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.13022

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How quit smoking medications work.

Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, et al.Red wine consumption and cardiovascular health.Molecules. 2019 Oct;24(19):3626. doi:10.3390/molecules24193626

De Almeida R, Kamath G, Cabandugama P.Food addiction in application to obesity management.Mo Med. 2022 Aug;119(4):372-378.

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