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Conditions

Obesity

Obesity

Obesity occurs when somebody is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex and it is one of the biggest problems facing the western world. Morbid obesity is when somebody has a Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 40, and sufferers will frequently suffer from breathlessness, excessive sweating and joint pain. They also open themselves up to a host of additional health worries, from heart disease to breast cancer. Lack of exercise is the most common cause of obesity, but there are other causes as well, including some disorders of the thyroid gland. In most cases, the only treatment needed is a reduction in calories and increased exercise. In more extreme cases, drugs can be prescribed that suppress the sufferers apetite, and as a final resort, a gastric band can be fitted which artificially reduced the sufferers stomach size.

Watch the Live from the Clinic interactive case video on weight and diabetes >

If you are worried that your child may be obese, check our condition guide for parents on Embarrassing Bodies: Kids website.

Watch our video with Dr Christian about childhood obesity and how to prevent it.

What the Men in White Coats Say

Comments and Questions

The EB doctors have been looking at your comments and have answered some of the common questions below. Remember that it is always best to check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.

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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

i am 36 and weigh about 13stone i have had four kids and now my stomach looks like i have two.it sacks alot at the bottom i have been on diets to the gym but it still doesnt seem to work i am very depressed about it and i wont even get undressed infront of my husband no more what can i do





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hi im jess 23 years old and weigh 17 stone,ive tried dieting and eating healthy but no luck :( is there any dietin piss or anything i could take or any one no what i could do.i have 2 children and want to be healthy for them x





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Hi jess. I am 19 years old and was 19 stone I went on a thing called weight loss challenge (herbal life) it was a protein based diet I lost over a stone in 4weeks in worth looking into :)

I was told by a consultant that he would refer me to another hospital about an apronectomy but he never contacted me again and it has spoilt my life and caused me depression





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i would ring and ask to speak to the consultant's secretary and explain to them they will tell you what to do i have done this and it does work talking to there secretary hope this is some help

I lost weight over a year ago and went down to 8 st 3 llb. i gave up the cigarettes over 8 wks ago and now gone up to ten stone. dont know what to do and finding it very hard to get the weight off. I get very depressed over it, as I was always weight conscious





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I'm the same always struggled with my weight to the point I became bulimic !! 13 months ago I started recovery from this n went from 7 stone to 11 stone !! N quit smoking so now a massive 11.10 I hate myself and believe my only hope is to fall back in the bad trap :( there's no help I've tried ??

i did something that i have never done before, i made an app with a gym trainer and she has gone through everything and now i am starting a programme. will let you know in six wks when i get re measured and weighed

I'm 17 and currently weigh 14 and a half stone, before i started my periods etc (i was 12), i weighed 9 stone, im going to be honest, i have no idea how i have put on so much weight! it's like i went to bed skinny and woke up like a whale! One of the main things that has made me put on some weight is the contraceptive injection, i put on nearly 8 pounds after having it, and my diet hadnt changed! i hate my body so much, i dread looking in the mirror, im desperately trying to loose weight, i just dont have the motivation, i go on walks twice a day, i go to zumba twice a week, ive started eating more healthy, i just dont seem to be loosing weight! :(





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hi my family would like to loose weight but i have found these -Beri Ultimate on the internet and there has been good reviews from it should i get it and try it or would it have side effects and if so what side effects?





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Hi I'm 28 years old and I'm 6ft 2 and I'm 14 and a half stone. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. is there any diet plans out there what you can get off the NHS that can help me in to a health-er life style





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hiya im 18 years old and currently 15 maybe even 16 stone now i went from a size 12- 14 at 11 stone to a size 18 ive had 2 kidz and with my 1st child i lost loadz of weight after but with my second child im easy over double the size, its really depressing and really gets me dwn i have no confedence and i really want to do somethink about it as i cnt live like this, i want to be back to 11 stone but i no il have loadz of sagging skin after how can i tone my skin up as im losing weight so i dnt look worser than i started, i need a diet and exercise plan or some think like that any help will be appesiated thank u





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Hi I am 36, I have hashimotos thyroid. Have doubled in size since diagnosed 4 years ago and was put on thyroxine. I tried every diet going, with no success. six months ago I was put on T3 and T4 combination, it worked grat and have lost a stone on slimming world, however, the doctor has halved my T3 dose, I am now starting to put on weight again. Any help would be appreciated.





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I am 43 years and weigh around 24 stone.i used 2 take duromine slimming tablets many years ago.they helped me lose around 10 stone.is it possible 2 get duromine on prescription and would it b ok 2 take them.im on blood pressure tablets as i am over weight.my blood pressure is fine at the mo.





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.


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Content supplied by NHS Choices

Obesity is when a person is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex. A person is considered obese if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (see box, to the left). Read More »

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