Morbidly Obese Definition

Morbid obesity refers to individuals who are 50 – 100% above their ideal body weight.

The best way to measure how healthy someone’s weight is in relation to their height is to calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI).

It is calculated by taking their weight in kilograms divided by their height in metres squared (Weight (Kg) / Height (m2)).

Clinically, body weight and thus the extent of obesity is classified by using the BMI.

The following shows the internationally accepted criteria for BMI:

• BMI < 20 | Underweight

• BMI 20 – 25 | Ideal BMI

• BMI 25 – 29.9 | Overweight

• BMI 30 – 34.4 | Obese

• BMI 35 – 39.9 | Severe obesity

• BMI 40 – 49.9 | Morbid obesity

• BMI > 50 | Super obesity

The level of obesity correlates with differing levels of health risk.

Health risks associated with obesity:

Greatly increased risk

• Type 2 diabetes
• Gallbladder disease
• Insulin resistance
• Breathlessness
• Sleep apnoea
• High cholesterol

Moderately increased risk

• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Several of the common cancers

Slightly increased risk

• Some cancers
• Reproductive abnormalities
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Impaired fertility
• Lower back pain
• Anaesthetic complications

(Department of Health 2006)
Another way to calculate being overweight is by your waist measurement. Risks increase with a waist measurement of over 40 inches (102cm) in men and over 35 inches (88cm) in women.

For men, waist circumference of less than 94 cm is low, 94–102 cm is high and more than 102 cm is very high.

For women, waist circumference of less than 80 cm is low, 80–88 cm is high and more than 88 cm is very high.

Once a person reaches the level of morbid obesity, the weight causes quicker and more extensive damage to the body

Essentially obesity is caused when the number of calories consumed through eating is greater than the calories used in physical activity. The excess energy is stored by the body in the form of fat.

Morbid obesity is a complex medical disorder, however, and there are a number of other contributing factors:

• Genetics can be a key factor in understanding obesity and its causes. It has been proven that the chance of having morbid obesity is increased if other people in your family have the condition.

• It has also been suggested that psychological and environmental factors can influence weight gain. Psychological factors influence the way people eat, as well as what they eat. A number of people eat in response to certain emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger.

• Environmental factors could include someone’s lifestyle behaviours, for example the way in which they cook food, the type of job they have and also whether they incorporate exercise within their day-to-day life.

• Another significant cause of obesity is an inability to understand what it is to be ‘full’. Most people are aware when they are full through eating because their stomach tells their brain it is full and to stop. However in some individuals there is a flaw in this process. By not identifying when the stomach is full, some individuals continue to consume more food. If they also carry out limited physical activity then this results in weight gain.

Consequences of morbid obesity
Severe and morbid obesity are hugely detrimental to overall health and wellbeing. As well the risk to general health, it can also lead to premature death.

Obesity is a 21st century epidemic. It has grown by 400% in the last 25 years and it is on trend to surpass smoking as the biggest killer in the UK. It costs the NHS >£4bn per year and is responsible for 18m sick days per year having a massive impact on the economy nationally as well as on the morbidity and mortality rates of the UK population.

Obesity is associated with a number of illnesses – it is thought that at least 45 health problems are directly related to a raised BMI. Several disease processes can arise directly as a result of morbid obesity (known as co-morbidities):

• You are 6 x more likely to develop gall bladder disease

• You are 5.6 x more likely to have a raised blood pressure

• Diabetes is 3.8 x more common in people who have a BMI >30

• Osteoarthritis is twice as likely

• Infertility, back problems and sleep disturbances are also common

• Life expectancy is shortened by <9years

• Common cancers are more likely

To get more information or to book a free no obligation consultation with our experts at one of our UK weight loss surgery centres call Vita Clinics on 0800 849 4050 or fill in our enquiry form here.