Defining Morbid Obesity

Obesity is a serious disease with symptoms that build slowly over an extended period of time. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) define morbid obesity as: 

• Being 100 pounds or more above your ideal body weight
• Or, having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater
• Or, having a BMI of 35 or greater and one or more co-morbid condition

• The disease of morbid obesity interferes with basic physical functions such as breathing or walking. Long-term implications of the disease include shorter life expectancy, serious health consequences in the form of weight-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and a lower quality of life with fewer economic and social opportunities.

  Obesity is a serious public health issue in the U.S.

• 24 million U.S. adults are living with morbid obesity and may qualify for bariatric surgery based on NIH guidelines.
• By 2010, it’s projected that there may be 31 million U.S. adults living with morbid obesity and may qualify for bariatric surgery based on NIH guidelines.

Co-morbid Conditions

The presence of obesity increases the risk of a number of medical conditions, including cancer. A co-morbid condition is a health condition related to a primary disease such as obesity.

There are many health conditions related to morbid obesity, but some of the most common are:

• Type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputation of the feet or legs, and nerve damage
• Heart disease, such as hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and angina
• High blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and vision loss
• High cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure
• Obstructive sleep apnea has been associated with high blood pressure
• Acid reflux/GERD, which can lead to esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma)
• Cancer
• Depression
• Osteoarthritis and joint pain, which can lead to loss of mobility
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Female reproductive health disorder, which can lead to infertility and sexual dysfunction

These conditions occur more frequently in people with morbid obesity. Mortality rates from many of these conditions are also higher among people with morbid obesity.

Health Benefits

It’s obvious to many people who have lived with morbid obesity for years that the disease has a severe negative impact on quality of life. Because of morbid obesity, you may choose not to participate in certain activities. You may feel that you have limited career choices.

What you may not know is that morbid obesity has been found to affect the quality of your health and the length of your life.

Morbid obesity has been linked to several serious and life-threatening diseases. These co-morbid conditions include type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, acid reflux/GERD, and cancer.  Most of these conditions do not develop for years. So many people living with morbid obesity may have one or more of these health issues without even realizing it.

Bariatric surgery may offer you a whole new outlook on health…

• One study found that gastric bypass surgery reduced the total number of co-morbid conditions of participating patients by 96%.
• Many surgeons recommended bariatric surgery as a treatment option for type 2 diabetes. In some cases, resolution of type 2 diabetes occurred within days of the surgery.
• A meta-analysis stated that several studies found that bariatric surgery patients felt better, spent more time doing recreational and physical activities, benefited from enhanced productivity and economic opportunities, and had more self-confidence than they did prior to surgery.

The health and medical information presented on this web site is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care. If you have a medical question about any of this information, please consult your physician or a health care professional. Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented on this web site. Trinity Hospital of Augusta and Trinity Bariatric and Weight Loss Center make no guarantee or promise, express or implied, as to the accuracy or reliability of the information presented. This information is subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed to be current.