Morbid obesity means that a person is so overweight that his or her well-being and health are actually in jeopardy. It is defined in several different ways:

• Weighing more than 100 pounds above your ideal body weight. The ideal body weight is determined by the Metropolitan Life Insurance table, which has been in existence since 1959 and is based on mathematical formulas that the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company uses to determine insurance risks. Most doctors have gotten away from using this table because it is very difficult to use (with separate categories for "frame size" and for men and women) and can be inaccurate.
• A body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 35 Kg/M2 in a person who has associated medical problems such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, or diabetes. The BMI relates one’s weight to his or her height in an attempt to generate a common denominator for all individuals. (See the Glossary of Terms to find out how to figure out your BMI.)
• A Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40 Kg/M2 in a person who either does or does not have any other medical problems.

Patients who are considered morbidly obese have a significantly higher chance of the following (as compared to individuals who are not overweight):

• Dying prematurely – morbidly obese individuals have a 300-500 percent greater chance of dying before the age of 76.
• Developing medical problems including diabetes (1200 percent higher), high blood pressure (500-600 percent higher) and heart disease (200-400 percent higher).
• Developing certain types of cancers such as colon, breast and uterine.
• Developing premature degenerative arthritis and joint pain causing limited mobility and activity.
• Developing sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension (which leads to heart failure).