Obesity

For a lay person:

Obesity means carrying an amount of body fat that is harmful to health, usually judged by body mass index and waist size. It is common at all ages and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint problems, sleep apnoea and some cancers.

For a trained medical person:

A chronic, relapsing disease of excess adiposity arising from genetic, behavioural, environmental, endocrine and medication-related factors; secondary causes such as hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome and drug effects should be considered. Assessment includes BMI, waist circumference and screening for comorbidities (glucose, lipids, blood pressure, sleep apnoea). Management is structured lifestyle and dietary intervention, with pharmacotherapy (for example GLP-1 receptor agonists) and bariatric surgery for appropriate patients.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Qi Stagnation and Damp Obstruction; Phlegm-Damp Accumulation and Obstruction; Yang Deficiency and Damp Accumulation. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: See a doctor for rapid unexplained weight gain, loud snoring with daytime sleepiness, or chest pain or breathlessness on exertion. Avoid weight-loss products containing ephedra (ma huang) or stimulants, which can cause dangerous heart rhythm and blood pressure problems.