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Man with obesity with resistance bands holding him in placeMan with obesity with resistance bands holding him in place

What is Obesity?

It's important to start by saying what obesity isn't. It isn't a reflection of who you are. It isn't a sign of poor willpower or laziness.

Obesity is a chronic disease.1

Obesity can stem from a complex combination of factors, including genetics, your environment, diet, lifestyle, and social and cultural circumstances. Just like many other chronic diseases, obesity has a significant impact on the person living with it and on the people around them.2

Living with obesity can lead to physical limitations, can impact mental health, and is linked to over 200 health complications.3,4 People living with obesity can feel stuck after unsuccessful weight loss attempts due to factors beyond their control or can find themselves in a cycle of weight loss and regain.5

When trying to sustain weight loss, biological resistance may result in increased hunger, feeling less full, and changes in metabolism—these processes can work against your weight loss efforts.6

When you understand more about why it can be difficult to lose weight, you and your healthcare provider can start to address the underlying causes of obesity and help you take control of your disease.1,7

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Are you living with obesity?

BMI and obesity

There are different considerations when defining obesity—it is more complicated than just a number on a scale.8 Obesity is a complex chronic and progressive disease and while BMI can be used to categorize obesity, your doctor may consider additional factors.9 Some of these factors include the measurement of waist-to-height ratio and the effect that excess weight has on your health or quality of life whether that be medically, functionally, or psychologically.10 BMI is calculated by comparing your weight to your height and can be an initial indicator on whether you should speak with your doctor.

Enter your height and weight to calculate your BMI.

Use the chart below to see the BMI categories for those aged 20 and older and their definitions.8 It’s important to note that the BMI categories can differ depending on a person’s ethnicity.9 Remember, your BMI is just one indicator for obesity—it is always best to talk with your doctor about it.

BMI CALCULATOR

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Height (in m/cm)

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Weight (in kg)


Fill in your height and weight in order to receive your result.

If you are concerned about your BMI results, then you may want to have talk with your doctor. Download this questionnaire to prepare for a conversation with your doctor about obesity management.

BMI ranges8

Body mass index (BMI) ranges

≤18.5

If your BMI is less than 18.5kg/m2, it falls within the underweight range.

18.5 - 24.9

If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9kg/m2, it falls within the healthy weight range.

25.0 - 29.9

If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9kg/m2, it falls within the overweight range.

≥30.0

If your BMI is 30.0kg/m2 or higher, it falls within the obesity range.

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"I never realized that obesity is a disease, and now I wonder if something else is playing a bigger role than I thought."

— Theo N.

Each testimonial is derived from stories from multiple people with obesity as shared in market research interviews. Names are pseudonyms.

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What can make weight loss so difficult?

Losing weight is one thing but sustaining that weight loss is another.11 If you've tried diet and exercise, you might have lost weight but then regained it.5 While some maintain a healthy weight this way, it often isn't enough for those with obesity.1 It can feel like you're doing your best, but something is holding you back from keeping the weight off.

Research suggests that when you stay at a certain weight for a long time, your body can resist changing.6,7,12 This means when you start to lose weight, your body may start to adapt, making it harder to sustain the weight loss over time.12

Additionally, your body may have a hormonal response that makes you feel less full when you eat and feel hungry more often.7

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease.1,2,5

Woman with obesity

Losing weight is one thing but sustaining that weight loss is another.11 If you've tried diet and exercise, you might have lost weight but then regained it.5 While some maintain a healthy weight this way, it often isn't enough for those with obesity.1 It can feel like you're doing your best, but something is holding you back from keeping the weight off.

Research suggests that when you stay at a certain weight for a long time, your body can resist changing.6,7,12 This means when you start to lose weight, your body may start to adapt, making it harder to sustain the weight loss over time.12

Additionally, your body may have a hormonal response that makes you feel less full when you eat and feel hungry more often.7

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease.1,2,5

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"Daily physical activity and eating right consistently leads to noticeable changes, but my issue is maintaining it. Diets work at first, but once my body adapts, the progress stalls, and then it's back to square one."

— Raquel S.

Each testimonial is derived from stories from multiple people with obesity as shared in market research interviews. Names are pseudonyms.

  1. Greenway FL. Physiological adaptations to weight loss and factors favouring weight regain. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015;39(8):1188–1196. doi:10.1038/ijo.2015.59
  2. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What causes obesity & overweight? Reviewed July 28, 2021. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/obesity/conditioninfo/cause
  3. Horn SB, Almandoz JP, Look M. What is clinically relevant weight loss for your patients and how can it be achieved? A narrative review. Postgrad Med. 2022;134(4):359-375. doi:10.1080/00325481.2022.2051366
  4. Albano G, Rowlands K, Baciadonna L, Coco GL, Cardi V. Interpersonal difficulties in obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis to inform a rejection sensitivity-based model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;107:846-861.doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.039
  5. Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2018;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012
  6. Ochner CN, Barrios DM, Lee CD, Pi-Sunyer FX. Biological mechanisms that promote weight regain following weight loss in obese humans. Physiol Behav. 2013;120:106-113. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.07.009
  7. MacLean PS, Bergouignan A, Cornier MA, Jackman MR. Biology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2011;301(3):R581–R600. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00755.2010
  8. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Overweight and obesity: symptoms and diagnosis. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/overweight-and-obesity/symptoms
  9. Busetto L, Dicker D, Frühbeck G, et al. A new framework for the diagnosis, staging and management of obesity in adults. Nat Med. Published online July 5, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41591-024-03095-3
  10. Stephenson J, Smith CM, Kearns B, Haywood A, Bissell P. The association between obesity and quality of life: a retrospective analysis of a large-scale population-based cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):1990. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-12009-8
  11. Apovian CM, Aronne LJ, Bessesen DH, et al; Endocrine Society. Pharmacological management of obesity: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100(2):342-362. doi:10.1210/jc.2014-3415
  12. Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult Obesity, 2020