It is a risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, certain kinds of cancer, and surgical and obstetrical complications. Being overweight, obese or morbidly obese puts a person at greater risk for major psychiatric disorders such as depression.
Obese people are also likely to be discriminated against.
Morbid obesity is defined by the NIH as a body weight twice what it should be. These definitions are based on relative weight, normal weight for a given height divided by actual weight. BMI is determined by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. Another factor in determining the health risks caused by excessive body fat is the location of the fat. Carrying fat around the waists is linked to increased cardiovascular problems and total mortality.