Sometimes we are confused with the term obese vs overweight. Both are the risk factors of chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary heart disease and blood vessels, hypertension, stroke and various types of cancer.
These two terms are used to describe people with excess body weight of our body mass index (BMI) owned by our bodies.
Although these two terms both point to overweight people, but being obese vs overweight have different meanings.
So how does that distinguish between the two?
Obese Vs Overweight
Definition
The sense of obesity and overweight has different meanings for each person. However, most people consider excess weight far exceeding the desired weight as overweight.
Overweight
Overweight is a person’s weight condition exceeding normal weight in general.
The excess body weight in people who are experiencing overweight can also be influenced by other reasons, that is, increased or enlarged muscle mass.
Obese
Obesity is a condition where excess body fat buildup, so the a person’s weight is far above normal.
Obesity occurs due to an imbalance between incoming energy and outgoing energy.
Obesity is said to be more dangerous than overweight, because the notion of obesity is a condition in which fat in the body exists in excessive amounts.
Body Mass Index
The Body Mass Index (BMI) has been recognized as the most practical method to determine if your weight is normal, excessive or obese. The way to calculate it is quite simple, that is to divide someone’s weight (kg) with his body height in meters and then squared (M) 2.
If the child (BMI) is different from the older persons, how to measure it is using a chart or curve. If overweight, according to the CDC (United States Control and Prevention Center) It is 25-29,9, whereas obesity is above 40. So it’s more reflecting to fat accumulation.
Example:
Weight = 70 kg
Body height = 160 cm (1.6 m)
Thus, BMI = 70: (1.6 x 1.6) = 70:2.56 = 27.3 (overweight)
Health Risk
Obese
The condition of obesity is also known as chronic disease that can be overcome.
Obesity is also associated with diseases that can decrease the quality of life.
For obese people usually have symptoms of certain medical conditions, including:
- Blood pressure and high cholesterol levels
- Joint pain in the knee or lower back, e.g. Osteoarthritis
- Respiratory disorders such as sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Overweight
There are many diseases that are closely related to excess weight. Call it high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, back pain, even se**xual dysfunction.
Comparison table of Obese Vs Overweight
| Overweight | Obese | |
| What is that? | Conditions where weight is more than is considered normal for height, age and gender. | The disease is characterized by deposition and excessive fat storage, with a BMI (Body mass index) of more than 30. |
| BMI range | A person is considered overweight when their BMI ranges between 25 and 29.9 | Someone considered obese if BMI is over 30. |
| Risk factor | Depression, high blood pressure. | Coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension |
| Treatment / Handling | Exercise, reduce food intake | Reduce calories, exercise and in extreme cases surgery |
| Causes | More food intake than is secreted by the body, genetics | Excessive food intake, eating fast food, stress, depression, hormonal imbalance, lifestyle |
| Occurrence | About 1 billion people are estimated to be overweight around the world. | More than 300 million people experience obesity worldwide |
| Geographically | Globally | More prominent and increased in North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Pacific Islands, Australasia and China |
| In children | 22 million children under five years of excess weight | About 5% of the 22 million children under five who are overweight are severely obese clinically. |
Normal, Overweight, and Obese
The terms “normal”, “overweight”, and “obese” may differ in each country and culture. Therefore, the WHO establishes a measurement or classification of obesity that is not dependent on cultural bias.
The most widely used methods of measuring obesity are the body mass index (BMI), which is obtained by dividing the body weight (kg) with the square of the height of the body (meter). BMI can be used to determine how large a person can be exposed to a particular disease.
The BMI guidelines for older persons in general are as follows:
- < 18.5, the underweight classification
- 18.5 – 24,9, normal classification
- 25,0 – 29,9, overweight classification
- 30,0 – 34,9, classification of obesity class I
- 35,0-39,9, class II obesity classification
- = 40.0, class III obesity classification
Read also: How to get rid of neck fat without surgery
Thank you very much for reading Obese Vs Overweight: Differences + Table, hopefully useful.
