What is Morbid Obesity?

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Morbid obesity is defined medically as more than 100 pounds greater than the ideal body weight or a Body Mass Index (BMI) that is more than 40 kg/m².

Morbid obesity is a serious chronic illness and not the result of immorality or gluttony. Research has shown that in many cases a significant, underlying cause of morbid obesity is genetic – you inherit the tendency to gain weight. The combination of a genetic predisposition to gain weight with plentiful and easily accessible processed food has resulted in the obesity epidemic in North America and the world. Here is a list of factors that contribute to the development of morbid obesity:

1. Genetic predisposition: you inherit the tendency to be obese.
2. The environment: having easy access to plentiful, processed, food and inability or lack of desire for vigorous physical activity
3. Psychosocial issues: abuse as child, depression due to taunting which precipitates more eating
4. Psychiatric: Eating disorders, depression, anxiety
5. Metabolic disorders: rare medical conditions
6. Drugs: antidepressants or steroids.
7. Other unknown conditions

Morbid obesity damages the body by its mechanical, metabolic and physiological adverse effects on normal bodily function. Obesity puts your health at risk. Obesity dramatically increases the risk of:

 1. Type 2 diabetes

2. High blood pressure

3. High levels of triglycerides (a type of blood fat)

4. Heart disease and stroke

5. Arthritis

6. Obstructive sleep apnea

Higher body weights are also associated with cancer and early death. The table below presents relative risks. Relative risk compares how likely an event is to occur to a person versus another person. The rates show how much more likely a person with morbid obesity is to develop cancer or die from cancer compared to a person with healthy weight.

Health Condition	Women	Men
Type 2 Diabetes	400% higher risk of occurrence	400% higher risk of occurrence
High Blood Pressure	210% higher risk of occurrence	190% higher risk of occurrence
Coronary Heart Disease	300% higher risk of occurrence	300% higher risk of occurrence
Stroke	137% higher risk of occurrence	—
Esophageal Cancer	200% higher risk of occurrence	200% higher risk of occurrence
Kidney Cancer	84% higher risk of occurrence	84% higher risk of occurrence
Breast Cancer	50% higher risk of occurrence	—

Morbid obesity, if untreated, is also associated with a higher relative risk of death:

• Women living with morbid obesity have 50 – 100% higher mortality (death) rates than women with a healthy weight, including 62% higher cancer mortality rate.
• Men living with morbid obesity have 50-100 % higher mortality rates than men with a healthy weight, including a 52% higher cancer mortality rate.