FEATURED BOOKS ON OBESITY FROM BARNES & NOBLE.COM:

Obesity
An abnormal increase in the amount of fat cells in the body compared to the amount of other types of cells. In obesity, most of the fat cells build up in the internal organs around the stomach area and in connective tissue beneath the skin. Obesity may be due to external causes such as eating too much and/or not exercising enough. However, obesity can also be due to causes from inside the person's body such as slow metabolism (a chemical process in the body by which food is broken down and changed to energy). There can also be a combination of internal and external causes that contributes to obesity. Someone who is suffering from obesity is called obese.

Technically, from a medical standpoint, someone is considered to be obese if the actual body weight is 20% more than the desired body weight for the person's age, height, sex, and body build. So, for example, a person can be considered obese if the desired weight is 200 pounds according to age, height, sex, and body build, but weighs 240 pounds instead. Check with your doctor before applying these guidelines to yourself and calling yourself obese. The average person's body is made up of 25% fat. A medically defined obese person may have a body that consists of 50% fat. Obesity comes from the Latin word "obesus" meaning "swollen."

Back to main page Contact MedFriendly.com Use of MedFriendly is subject to reading this disclaimer & the terms and conditions.