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What is obesity?

We explain how excess weight, corpulence and illnesses are connected – from degrees of severity through symptoms and consequences to treatment.

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GermanyNetherlandsMedically reviewed byDr. med. Roland MörmelSpecialist in internal medicineLast updated:

Your guide

Everything important at a glance

What we mean by obesity

Obesity is the term used for severe excess weight or corpulence that can harm health. First, fatty tissue increases excessively, so that the proportion of body fat mass in total body weight rises. If obesity is not treated early, it can relatively quickly go hand in hand with a reduced quality of life, a high risk of secondary illnesses and a shorter life expectancy.

According to surveys by the Robert Koch Institute, almost one in four adults in Germany is affected by pathological corpulence. If excess weight is included, the figure is around 67% of men and more than half of women. The chart shows the proportion of women and men with obesity (BMI > 30) in the population of the same age in Germany.

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Figures as a table
What we mean by obesity
AgeWomenMen
18–29 years9 %8 %
30–39 years17 %22 %
40–49 years21 %23 %
50–59 years27 %27 %
60–69 years34 %33 %
70–79 years41 %31 %

Into which grades is obesity divided?

Obesity is divided into three degrees of severity: the World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes grade I, grade II and grade III, also called adipositas permagna. The basis is the body mass index, known as the BMI for short.

  1. Underweight, severeBMI < 16,00
  2. Underweight, moderateBMI 16,0–16,99
  3. Underweight, mildBMI 17,0–18,49
  4. Normal weightBMI 18,5–24,99
  5. Overweight (pre-obesity)BMI 25,0–29,99
  6. Obesity (corpulence) grade IBMI 30,0–34,99
  7. Obesity class IIBMI 35,0–39,99
  8. Obesity class IIIBMI ≥ 40,0

The BMI is a guide value based on the WHO weight classes. What may be suitable for you will be clarified by your specialist in conversation.

Which symptoms occur with obesity?

Possible signs and symptoms are numerous and range from physical to psychological problems such as low self-esteem. The following accompanying symptoms and disorders are also frequently observed in connection with obesity:

  • Depression
  • High blood pressure
  • Joint problems
  • Raised blood fats
  • Raised blood sugar
  • Gout
  • Snoring
  • Pauses in breathing (sleep apnoea)
  • Breathlessness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • Increased sweating (hyperhidrosis)
  • Heartburn (reflux)
  • Varicose veins
  • Infertility

What strain does excess weight place on the body?

If pathological corpulence remains untreated in the long term, it places strain on the whole body and increases the risk of sometimes serious secondary illnesses, for example:

  • Strokes
  • Heart attacks
  • Hardening of the arteries
  • Gout
  • Gallstones
  • Thromboses
  • Joint damage
  • Cancers

How is corpulence treated?

Treating corpulence means above all changing eating and living habits. This includes working actively on yourself and accepting that there is a weight problem that has to be tackled sustainably.

If the conventional forms of weight therapy have been exhausted – such as conventional diets (metabolic, protein or low-carb diets, shakes), nutrition programmes or targeted behavioural therapies – and you do not succeed on your own in moving sustainably towards a healthier body weight, medical treatments can contribute to greater weight-loss success.

These include above all endoscopic procedures without conventional surgery and medically supported therapy, for example:

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What advantages these forms of therapy have

A particular advantage of these forms of therapy is that they generally allow the essential cornerstones of a healthier lifestyle to be regained:

  • Paying attention to the natural feelings of hunger and fullness
  • Sensitivity for a sustainable change in diet
  • Making regular exercise possible

Can minimally invasive procedures achieve success?

Studies have shown that therapeutic success can be achieved with minimally invasive procedures – with comparatively low risks and side effects. After diets or conventional programmes, by contrast, many patients quickly put weight back on, so that obesity and its numerous accompanying symptoms persist.

The experienced Weight Doctors team supports patients on the way to their feel-good weight. Years of experience show: losing weight can have a positive effect on health, bring new joy in life and reduce social isolation. In the consultation, we explain which reasons apply to you and what you can do about them – and we take your concern seriously.

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