Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used in classifying overweight and obesity in adult populations and individuals. It is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters (kg/m2).
Human obesity is characterized by an imbalance in energy metabolism stemming from a combination of excessive non-regulated food intake, decreased energy expenditure and the ready availability of palatable food at all times.
Obesity is the most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Already slight overweight increases the risk for type 2 diabetes by several fold.
