Obesity

Obesity is caused by eating more calories than your body needs

Being obese increases your chances of getting many diseases, such as diabetes Diabetes Diabetes is a disease in which your blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. You get diabetes if your body's normal way of controlling blood sugar isn't working right. There are 2 types of... read more , high blood pressure High Blood Pressure Each heart beat pushes blood through your arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Without... read more , heart disease, and certain cancers

Losing even a little weight can lessen your chances of having health problems

To lose weight, you should eat less and be more active (get exercise)

Medicine or surgery can sometimes help with weight loss

Not getting enough physical activity, such as through sports or workouts, or having a job where you sit most of the time

Eating high-calorie foods (for example, from vending machines or fast food restaurants) or eating too much food for a long period of time

Having family members who are obese (obesity runs in families)

Having been obese as a child

Not losing pregnancy weight after having children

Hormonal changes such as menopause Menopause Menopause is when women stop having periods (stop menstruating) and can no longer get pregnant. Menopause usually happens after age 40. In the United States, the average age for menopause is... read more (when a woman stops having periods and can no longer get pregnant)

Having certain eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder Binge Eating Disorder Binge eating disorder is when you often eat large amounts of food very quickly (binge). When you're eating, you feel unable to stop. After binge eating, you feel very upset because you couldn't... read more

Taking certain medicines

Sleeping less than 6 hours a night

Changes in the normal germs (bacteria) in the intestines—research about this is new, so not much is known or understood about it

Trouble breathing

Snoring

Skin problems including stretch marks

Joint and back pain

Calculating your BMI (body mass index)

Measuring how thick the fat is on your waist and on the back of your upper arm

Sometimes doing a test that measures how much fat is in your whole body (body composition test)

Check for diabetes Diabetes Diabetes is a disease in which your blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. You get diabetes if your body's normal way of controlling blood sugar isn't working right. There are 2 types of... read more and high cholesterol High Cholesterol Cholesterol is a type of fat. Fats are also called lipids. Cholesterol is a type of lipid—an essential element contained in all human cells. However, excess lipids and other fatty substances... read more with blood tests

Check for high blood pressure High Blood Pressure Each heart beat pushes blood through your arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Without... read more with an arm cuff

Check for other diseases that happen more often in people with obesity, such as sleep apnea Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is when your breathing slows or stops for a short time while you're sleeping and then restarts. If you have sleep apnea, this happens over and over each time you sleep, often many... read more , fatty liver Fatty Liver Fatty liver is an abnormal accumulation of certain fats (triglycerides) inside liver cells. People with fatty liver may feel tired or have mild abdominal discomfort but otherwise have no symptoms... read more , and depression Depression Depression is feeling too sad or sluggish to do your daily tasks or take part in activities you usually enjoy. It’s normal to feel sad after something sad happens, such as a death or loss—depression... read more

Eat healthier foods (high in fiber, low in sugar)

Put smaller portions on your plate so you're not tempted to eat as much

Eliminate high-calorie drinks, such as soda, juice, or alcohol

Exercise more and be more active (for example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or walk instead of driving or taking the bus)

Medicines

Weight-loss surgery Weight-Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery) Weight-loss surgery is surgery to the stomach or intestine (or both) to help you lose weight. It's also called bariatric surgery. Doctors sometimes recommend weight-loss surgery for people who... read more (bariatric surgery)