Obesity Causes & Risk Factors Obesity Guide Obesity Guide Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Coping Prevention Symptoms of Obesity By Sherry Christiansen Sherry Christiansen is a medical writer with a healthcare background. She has worked in the hospital setting and collaborated on Alzheimer's research. Learn about our editorial process Sherry Christiansen Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jason DelCollo, DO on November 20, 2019 Jason DelCollo, DO, is board-certified in family medicine and on the faculty of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Jason DelCollo, DO on November 20, 2019 Print Table of Contents View All Obesity and BMI Frequent Symptoms Rare Symptoms Complications Next in Obesity Guide Causes and Risk Factors of Obesity Obesity is the result of eating more calories than the body can burn or use on a regular basis. The body then stores the excess calories as fat. As the extra calories are consumed each day, the body continues to accumulate extra fat stores, leading to obesity and—in the most severe instances—to morbid obesity. Obesity symptoms have been identified as a precursor to many serious, and sometimes fatal disorders. Obesity and BMI Obesity symptoms involve measurable benchmarks, designed to evaluate the percentage of body fat; these calculations are used by the healthcare provider when diagnosing obesity. The primary method for comparing the level of weight gain to the severity of obesity is a specific measurement system called body mass index or BMI. Body mass index is a way of measuring fat content in the body, based on the ratio of height versus weight. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers a simple to use online tool to check a person’s BMI. The following chart illustrates a person’s weight status according to their BMI. Body Mass Index Chart BMI Weight Status Below 18.5 Underweight 18.5 - 24.9 Normal 25.0 - 29.9 Overweight 30 or greater Obese There are different classes of obesity, depending on its severity. A BMI of 35.0-39.9 is considered Class II Obesity, a BMI of 40.0 or higher is considered Class II (Extremely Obese). Note: BMI isn’t always an accurate measurement of body fat content. For example, some athletes are very muscular and because their weight reflects a high level of muscle mass. This may wrongly qualify them for the obesity category, although they have very little body fat. Verywell / Lara Antal Frequent Symptoms Although gaining a few extra pounds may seem insignificant as far as a person’s overall health is concerned, weight gain can quickly escalate to a serious medical condition. Frequent Symptoms for Adults Symptoms of obesity can negatively impact one’s daily life. For adults, frequent symptoms include: Excess body fat accumulation (particularly around the waist)Shortness of breathSweating (more than usual)SnoringTrouble sleepingSkin problems (from moisture accumulating in the folds of skin)Inability to perform simple physical tasks (that one could easily perform before weight gain)Fatigue (from mild to extreme)Pain (commonly in the back and joints)Psychological impact (negative self-esteem, depression, shame, social isolation) Frequent Symptoms for Children and Adolescents Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were deemed overweight or obese in 2016, according to the World Health Organization. In that past 30 years the CDC reports that the rate of childhood obesity has tripled, says Boston Children’s Hospital. Common symptoms of childhood obesity may include: Eating disordersFatty tissue deposits (may be noticeable in the breast area)The appearance of stretch marks on the hips and backAcanthosis nigricans (dark velvety skin around the neck and other areas)Shortness of breath with physical activitySleep apneaConstipation GI refluxPoor self-esteemEarly puberty in girls/delayed puberty in boysOrthopedic problems (such as flat feet or dislocated hips) Morbid Obesity Symptoms Morbid obesity is a growing health concern in many developed countries of the world today, particularly in the United States. When a person is 100 pounds over optimal body weight, with a BMI of 40 or more (in the Extremely Obese category) he or she is considered morbidly obese. A person experiencing health conditions related to obesity (such as high blood pressure or diabetes) with a BMI of 35 or more, is also considered morbidly obese. Morbid obesity can cause a person to struggle with everyday activities such as walking and can impair bodily functions such as breathing. It also puts a person at high risk for many other serious health conditions. What Is Morbid Obesity? Rare Symptoms Early-onset obesity can develop in kids due to several rare genetic disorders involving genes that play a vital role in regulating appetite and energy expenditure, these include: Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) deficiency obesity: Key symptoms include hyperphagia (extreme hunger) starting during infancy, early-onset obesity, and hormonal problems (such as adrenal insufficiency).Leptin receptor (LEPR) deficiency obesity: Key symptoms include hyperphagia, severe early-onset obesity, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (a condition in which the male testes or the female ovaries produce little or no sex hormones, due to a problem with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus).Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS): Key symptoms include early-onset obesity, hyperphagia, vision impairment, polydactyly (having an extra finger or toe), and kidney impairment. Complications In addition to primary obesity symptoms, obesity can contribute to many serious health disorders as well, many of which may not be easily identified in the early phase of the disease. Serious health complications that are more likely to occur with obesity include: High blood pressure (hypertension) or heart disease from the heart working hard to pump blood to more surface area of the bodyHigh cholesterol levels (fatty deposits that can block arteries)leading to stroke, heart attack and other complicationsStroke (from high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure)Type 2 diabetes (nearly 50% of type 2 diabetes cases are directly linked to obesity )Some types of cancer (according to the Centers for Disease Control 40% of cancer diagnoses are linked to obesity)AsthmaKidney disease can occur from chronic high blood pressure that damages the kidneysOsteoarthritis from excess weight causing an additional strain on the joints, bones, and musclesGallbladder disease (a 2013 study showed the risk of gallbladder disease increased by 7% with each one-point increment on the BMI scale)Sleep apnea, as fat deposits in the neck and tongue block airwaysGastroesophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, and heartburn caused by excess weight pushing on the valve at the top of the stomach. This allows stomach acid to leak into the esophagus. Conditions occurring concurrently with obesity, such as cancer or high blood pressure, are referred to as “comorbidities.” Obesity comorbidities often cause serious long-term disabilities or may even cause death. Additionally, people with obesity are known to experience a shortened life-span. Perhaps the most encouraging information from the World Health Organization is the fact that obesity is preventable, but first, it must be identified as early in the disease process as possible. Causes and Risk Factors of Obesity Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Grier T, Canham-chervak M, Sharp M, Jones BH. Does body mass index misclassify physically active young men. Prev Med Rep. 2015;2:483-7. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.06.003 Hruby A, Hu FB. The Epidemiology of Obesity: A Big Picture. Pharmacoeconomics. 2015;33(7):673-89. Değirmenci T, Kalkan-oğuzhanoğlu N, Sözeri-varma G, Özdel O, Fenkçi S. Psychological Symptoms in Obesity and Related Factors. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2015;52(1):42-46. Xu S, Xue Y. Pediatric obesity: Causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. Exp Ther Med. 2016;11(1):15-20. doi:10.3892/etm.2015.2853 Lozano, L.M., Tió, M., Rios, J. et al. Severe and morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) does not increase surgical time and length of hospital stay in total knee arthroplasty surgery. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 1713–1719 (2015) doi:10.1007/s00167-014-3002-9 Klop B, Elte JW, Cabezas MC. Dyslipidemia in obesity: mechanisms and potential targets. Nutrients. 2013;5(4):1218-40. doi:10.3390/nu5041218 Leitner DR, Frühbeck G, Yumuk V, et al. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: Two Diseases with a Need for Combined Treatment Strategies - EASO Can Lead the Way. Obes Facts. 2017;10(5):483-492. Additional Reading Calculate Your BMI. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm Cancers Linked with Obesity and Overweight Make up 40% of Cancer Diagnosed in the United States. Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1003-vs-cancer-obesity.html Childhood Obesity, Symptoms and Cause. Boston Children’s Hospital. http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/c/childhood-obesity/symptoms-and-causes Gallbladder Disease and the Patient with Obesity. Olsen, D., MD, FACS. Obesity Action Coalition. https://www.obesityaction.org/community/article-library/obesity-and-gallstones-how-are-they-related/ Obesity and Overweight. World Health Organization. (2018) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight Obesity Symptoms. Health Direct. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/obesity-symptoms Rare Genetic Disorders of Obesity. Rhythm. https://www.rhythmtx.com/pipeline/rare-genetic-disorders-of-obesity/