AskBioMapBiology Fun
Condition

Overweight and obesity

Related terms: Obesity, Overweight, Body mass index, BMI

EstablishedTextbook physiology, or consistent findings reflected in national guidance.
Show on the map Ask about it

Obesity is excess body fat that increases the risk of health problems. In Australia, 2 out of 3 adults and 1 in 4 children are living with overweight or obesity.

  • People living with obesity can face discrimination at work, in healthcare and in relationships, according to healthdirect.
  • Living with obesity is not just about appearance.
  • Being overweight is also a risk factor for pre-diabetes, gout and kidney stones.

How it works

A body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 is classed as overweight and over 30 as obesity, and a waist of 94 cm or more for males, or 80 cm or more for females who are not pregnant, is also used. BMI is less accurate for some groups, including people under 18 or over 65, pregnant people, elite athletes, and people of Asian or Polynesian background. Many factors, some beyond your control, play a part, including genes, health conditions, some medicines, not sleeping enough, stress and shiftwork.

Living with overweight or obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, some cancers, sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, reflux (GORD) and depression. Losing even 5 to 10% of body weight can have significant health benefits. Treatment can include a lower-calorie diet and more physical activity, weight loss medicines, which have side effects and are not safe for everyone, and bariatric surgery, the most effective treatment for weight loss.

Connections

18 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.

Overweight and obesity can be raised by Chronic stress (allostatic load)Chronic stressOverweight and obesity can be raised by Trouble sleepingTrouble sleepingOverweight and obesity can be raised by Sitting timeSitting timeOverweight and obesity can cause Shortness of breathShortness of breathOverweight and obesity can raise Atrial fibrillation (AF)Atrial fibrillationOverweight and obesity can raise Bowel cancerBowel cancerOverweight and obesity can raise DepressionDepressionOverweight and obesity can raise Coronary heart diseaseCoronaryheart diseaseOverweight and obesity can raise High blood pressureHigh blood pressureOverweight and obesity can raise Obstructive sleep apnoeaObstructivesleep apnoeaOverweight and obesity can raise StrokeStrokeOverweight and obesity can raise Type 2 diabetesType 2 diabetesand 6 more belowOverweight and obesity can be raised by Chronic stress (allostatic load)Chronic stressOverweight and obesity can be raised by Trouble sleepingTrouble sleepingOverweight and obesity can raise Atrial fibrillation (AF)Atrial fibrillationOverweight and obesity can raise DepressionDepressionOverweight and obesity can raise Coronary heart diseaseCoronary heart diseaseOverweight and obesity can raise High blood pressureHigh blood pressureOverweight and obesity can raise StrokeStrokeOverweight and obesity can raise Type 2 diabetesType 2 diabetesand 10 more below

Overweight and obesity can raise

Overweight and obesity can be raised by

Overweight and obesity can worsen

Overweight and obesity can cause

Sources

  1. Obesityhealthdirect Australia, last reviewed September 2024
  2. Pre-diabeteshealthdirect Australia, last reviewed October 2024
  3. Gouthealthdirect Australia, last reviewed March 2026
  4. Kidney stoneshealthdirect Australia, last reviewed December 2024

Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.

Summarised from healthdirect. Sources read on 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.

↑ ↓ to moveEnter to openEsc to close