noun

obesity

oh-BEE-suh-tee/əʊˈbiːsəti/

The condition of having excessive body fat.

The clinician measures the man's waist during an assessment of obesity.

A respectful, simple clinical scene: a middle-aged man with a visibly large body stands comfortably while an older woman clinician measures his waist over a plain lightweight shirt.

Etymology

obLatinabout; adds emphasis

+esLatinto eat

+ityLatinstate or quality

The eating root and prefix lie behind an adjective literally meaning “having eaten itself fat.” The state-noun ending turns that description into “fatness,” the sense underlying today's medical term.

In context

Medical Centric Podcast0:00

how obesity affects the body obesity is a serious condition that needs to be looked at as an illness rather than just excessive weight most people suffering from obesity are at higher risk of developing serious medical

The Heavy Burden of Obesity: Understanding its Effects on Your Body

More examples

The clinic offers care for patients living with obesity.
The report tracks changes in obesity across age groups.
Researchers distinguish obesity from a simple measure of body weight.

Forms

obesity