Obesity occurs over time when you eat more calories than you use. The balance between calories-in and calories-out differs for each person. Factors that might tip the balance include your genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods and not being physically active.

Being obese increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and some cancers. If you are obese, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases.

Obesity is a common health problem resulting from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body’s normal skeletal and physical standard. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) places an increase of 20% above your ideal body weight or the normal Body Mass Index (BMI) as the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk.