What is overweight?

Being overweight means you have excess body weight and too much body fat. This is especially a problem when the excess body fat is present in the abdominal area. Overweight can affect your fitness level, making it harder to move or causing you to become short of breath more quickly. Overweight and especially severe overweight (obesity) increases the risk of developing various diseases, such as:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Various types of cancer
  • Sleep apneu
  • Osteoarthritis

    When are you considered overweight?

    This depends on your BMI (Body Mass Index) and waist circumference.
    • A BMI between 25 and 30 indicates overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher indicates severe overweight (obesity).
    • You can calculate your BMI using this tool.
    • The BMI is less suitable if you are very muscular, pregnant, breastfeeding, extremely tall or short, or have a South Asian background.
    • For health purposes, the amount of abdominal fat is crucial. You can measure this with your waist circumference.
    • For women:
      A waist circumference of 80 cm or more indicates increased abdominal fat.
      A waist circumference of 88 cm or more indicates severely increased abdominal fat.
    • For men:
      A waist circumference of 94 cm or more indicates increased abdominal fat.
      A waist circumference of 102 cm or more indicates severely increased abdominal fat.

  • What are potential causes of overweight?

    Overweight can have many different causes, and often, multiple factors contribute simultaneously. Below are some potential causes:
    • Overweight runs in your family.
    • Eating too much or unhealthy.
    • Being physically inactive.
    • Experiencing prolonged periods of high stress levels.
    • Consistently getting insufficient sleep.
    • Working night shifts.
    • Taking medications that may lead to weight gain.
    • Having a medical condition that causes weight gain.