When is obesity considered a “disease”?

A major public health problem, obesity is a scourge that affects nearly one in two adults in France.

Depending on BMI, abnormal or excessive fat accumulation can be either moderate, severe or morbid.

This last category, the most worrisome, leads to particularly serious cardiovascular and respiratory complications.

Like every year, March 4 is celebrated as World Obesity Day, spreading awareness around the world. According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.9 billion adults suffer from obesity, with the number of cases having nearly tripled since 1975. In Europe, this chronic and multifactorial disease is “of epidemic proportions”, warned the WHO in a report published in 2022. WHO defines obesity as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat. For health professionals, a person is said to be obese when their body mass index is greater than 30. This pathology is often associated with a very rich diet and a lack of physical exercise, although it involves varying degrees.

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Morbid obesity: BMI over 40

Obesity is considered morbid when its body mass index is over 40, while a normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. It belongs to approximately 0.6% of the French population. In addition to being significantly overweight, with excess fat (or adipose tissue) located especially in the abdominal area, concerned patients find themselves unable to lose weight. And this, despite frequent diets. This accumulation of fat in the body is also accompanied by loss of muscle mass and liver, which leads the patient to serious complications. Indeed, a person suffering from morbid obesity will face a whole range of pathologies associated with being overweight.

What are the comorbidities of morbid obesity?

The main diseases are diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, such as myocardial infarction, sudden adult death, angina, reduced blood flow and high blood pressure. Numerous studies have proven a link between obesity and the development of certain cancers, particularly those of the esophagus, endometrium, kidney, pancreas, and even colon, Inserm reports. Obesity also comes with significant psychological effects, with increased risk of anxiety, depression and suicide.

But then, how can you lose weight successfully even when the diet seems inadequate? First, it is important to break withdrawal and social isolation by agreeing to seek professional help. To support you, specialized obesity centers can offer you care and supervision tailored to your situation. Under certain conditions linked to the patient’s psychological state and their dietary history, surgical intervention is considered to improve the anatomy of the digestive system, and thus help to overcome persistent morbid obesity.