Obesity is more than being just a few extra pounds overweight. It is when the fat in your body has accumulated to such an extent that you are at serious risk of developing life-threatening diseases that can knock years off your life, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
The fat may be equally distributed around the body or concentrated on the stomach (apple-shaped) or the hips and thighs (pear-shaped).
For medical purposes, the body mass index (BMI) is used to determine if your weight is considered in the healthy range. A person’s weight (in kilograms) is divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese.