Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to a wide range of frequently asked questions about obesity, including obesity in the workplace, implementing obesity management programs, and anti-obesity medication coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to a wide range of frequently asked questions about obesity, including obesity in the workplace, implementing obesity-management programs, and anti-obesity medication coverage.
Obesity is defined as an accumulation of fat, either an abnormal or excessive amount, that puts health at risk.1
A person is considered to have obesity if he or she has a BMI ≥30 kg/m2.2,3
Obesity severity is classified into 1 of 3 different classes3:
- Class 1 – a person has a BMI between 30 kg/m2 and <35 kg/m2
- Class 2 – a person has a BMI between 35 kg/m2 and <40 kg/m2
- Class 3 – a person has a BMI of ≥40 kg/m2
Body mass index (BMI) is a common way to measure obesity. BMI is a measurement that uses a person’s height and weight to determine a weight category. Another measure is assessing waist circumference, a screening tool indicating higher risk for obesity-related conditions, though not diagnostic.2
Yes, social determinants of health significantly influence obesity rates. Beyond education, factors such as socio-economic status and familial habits play crucial roles in obesity prevalence among various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, as well as across different geographical locations and among individuals with diverse physical abilities.4
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a 2021 study showed that the estimated annual medical cost of obesity for adults in the United States was over $172 billion in 2019 dollars. If you further examine the medical costs for obesity, people with obesity have medical costs $1861 higher than those of normal weight.5
Population-level costs were estimated by scaling the per-person excess costs using BMI category prevalence estimates from NHANES 2011–2016 and 2019 population estimates of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population.5
Non-Hispanic Black Americans (49.9%) had the highest age-adjusted prevalence of obesity among adults in the United States, followed by Hispanics (45.6%), non-Hispanic whites (41.4%), and non-Hispanic Asians (16.1%).6
Comorbidity is defined as co-occurring health problems, diseases, or conditions in a patient. According to the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) there are more than 200 obesity-related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease.7,8
Obesity increases the risk of heart disease by elevating factors such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and type 2 diabetes. In the United States, nearly 74% of adults are affected by overweight or obesity, amplifying cardiovascular risks.9
Obesity is often associated with depression and people who have obesity are more likely to report depression.10,11
Because obesity is associated with many comorbidities, it may drive up medical and pharmacy expenditures in your organization. Obesity can also increase indirect costs stemming from absenteeism, disability, and workers’ compensation.12
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References: 1. Obesity and overweight. World Health Organization. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight 2. Assessing your weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed May 13, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/index.html 3. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al; Reviewers of the AACE/ACE Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(suppl 3):1-203. 4. Causes of obesity. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed May 13, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/causes.html 5. Ward ZJ, Bleich SN, Long MW, Gortmaker SL. Association of body mass index with health care expenditures in the United States by age and sex. PLoS One. 2021;16(3):e0247307. 6. The state of obesity: Better policies for a healthier America 2023. Published September 2023. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://www.tfah.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/TFAH-2023-ObesityReport-FINAL.pdf 7. What is obesity? Obesity Medicine Association. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://obesitymedicine.org/what-is-obesity/ 8. Guh DP, Zhang W, Bansback N, Amarsi Z, Birmingham CL, Anis AH. The incidence of co-morbidities related to obesity and overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:88. 9. Heart disease and stroke. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/heart-disease-stroke.htm 10. Gariepy G, Nitka D, Schmitz N. The association between obesity and anxiety disorders in the population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obesity. 2010;34:407-419. 11. de Wit L, Luppino A, van Straten B, Penninx B, Zitman F, Cuipers P. Depression and obesity: a meta-analysis of community-based studies. Psychiatry Res. 2010;178:230-235. 12. Ramasamy A, Laliberté F, Aktavoukian SA, et al. Direct and indirect cost of obesity among the privately insured in the United States: a focus on the impact by type of industry. J Occup Environ Med. 2019;61(11):877-886.
