What is the medical definition of obesity?

The medical definition of obesity is indeed characterized by having an excess of body fat, quantified as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.0 or over. BMI is a widely used tool that relates weight to height to categorize individuals into different weight status categories, including underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity. When a person has a BMI of 30.0 or higher, it indicates a significant excess of body fat that can lead to various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.

Understanding obesity as defined by BMI provides a clear and standardized method for identifying individuals at risk of health complications related to body weight. This definition emphasizes the importance of body fat distribution and quantity, as opposed to simply focusing on weight relative to height or the presence of other factors like muscle mass.