Difference between Obesity and Morbid Obesity

By definition obesity is having a BMI of more than 30 An individual with a BMI of more than 40 is termed morbidly obese. Clinically morbidly obese can be classified as “Very Severely Obese”. The reason severe obesity is called morbidly obese is the risk of obesity-related health conditions they might be affected with.

The Real Differences between Obesity and Morbid Obesity

• In terms of body weight, if an individual is over 13-15 kg above their ideal body weight, they are termed as “Obese”. On the other hand, if the individual is over and above 45 kg of their ideal body weight, they are termed severely or very severely obese or morbidly obese.
• Obese individuals would invariably carry on with their daily activities while the morbidly obese would have slowed down much. They would not carry on their normal duties and would have by now confined themselves to their home not preferring to move out. Simply the morbidly obese would now depend on others for their day to day activities.
• The obese need not have co-morbid conditions but invariably all individuals with BMI of above 40 would be carrying co-morbid conditions like heart diseases, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.
• People who are morbidly obese carry low levels of oxygen in their blood. This decreased oxygen can cause dizziness and a feeling of laziness that makes them sleep all day. This extreme condition may not be present in Obese individuals but definitely obese too would have breathing difficulties when compared with an individual with normal weight.