What does obesity mean?
Obesity is the condition of having an excessive amount of body fat, generally to a degree that can affect health. In medical and public-health contexts, it is more specific than describing a person as merely overweight, and it is commonly discussed in relation to diet, physical activity, health risks, prevention, and treatment. The word is widely used in reports, research, and discussion of population health, including phrases such as childhood obesity and the obesity epidemic. In everyday conversation, obesity can sound more clinical or categorical than other expressions, so careful wording is important when the term is applied to an individual. Its history comes through the Latin obesitas, meaning fatness or the condition of being fat, which in turn relates to the Latin adjective obesus. The term has become firmly established in modern English as a health and social issue, while the related adjective obese describes a person or body characterized by excessive body fat.
nounThe condition of being markedly overweight or having an excessive accumulation of body fat, typically to an extent that may affect health. The term is used in medical, public-health, and general contexts to describe this condition.
- The state of being significantly overweight or having an excessive amount of body fat, especially as a condition associated with health risks.
"The report calls for stronger measures to prevent childhood obesity and improve access to healthy food."
"The study examined the relationship between diet, physical activity, and obesity in adults."
"Public-health officials warned that rising rates of obesity could place additional pressure on healthcare services."
Obesity comes from the Latin word for fatness, a reminder that its history is rooted in an ancient description of the body before modern medicine gave the condition its clinical name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does obesity come from?
The English word obesity comes from Latin obesitas, a noun meaning fatness or the condition of being fat. This was formed from the Latin adjective obesus, meaning fat or plump. The related English adjective obese and its adverb obesely preserve the same Latin root, while modern medical usage has established obesity as a term for a condition involving excessive body fat.
Related word forms
How obesity is actually used
Generally formal and clinical or public-health in tone. It is more specific than simply saying someone is overweight and is often used in medical, statistical, and policy contexts; usage should avoid stigmatizing individuals.