What it means
A chronic disease of excess body fat. In adults, a BMIbee-em-eye (said as letters)Body mass index: a number worked out from a person's weight and height that sorts weight into categories.Full entry of 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 or more is obesity; children are judged by BMI percentile for age and sex. It raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, joint disease and some cancers. Treatment can include diet, activity, behavior change, drugs and weight-loss surgery.
For the nurse
Use respectful, person-first language ("a person with obesity"). Use equipment of the right size, such as a large blood pressure cuff, bed and lift, and watch skin folds for breakdown.
At a glance
| Spanish | obesidad |
|---|---|
| Also written | obese |
Related terms
hypertension
Blood pressure that stays higher than normal, at or above 130/80 mm Hg by current US guidelines.
BMI
Body mass index: a number worked out from a person's weight and height that sorts weight into categories.
type 2 diabetes
A form of diabetes in which the body does not respond well to insulin and does not make enough of it to keep blood glucose normal.
hyperlipidemia
Higher than healthy levels of fats (lipids), such as cholesterol or triglycerides, in the blood.