The common medical description of obesity is simple :
It is a situation in which the body fat mass is above the standard norms which correlate age, sex, height and muscular mass. The definition of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is even more straightforward: obesity is an excess of body fat leading to
negative consequences on health (1997 report). This second definition is more simple, and has the advantage of setting the records straight: when a doctor is referring to obesity according to the correct definition, he is not talking about a 'state' or 'excess weight', but of a true morbidity.
We will be looking at how to measure obesity, and thereby define it, however, it is important to emphasise from the start that measuring obesity still does not take into account all the factors that create this morbidity.
How
obesity is spread across the body:
Excess body fat can be evenly spread across the body or concentrated within certain areas. A scientific classification of obesity has actually been made on the basis of how the fat is distributed throughout the body:
- Type
I : 'harmonious' distribution of obesity across the body.
- Type
II: So-called gynoid obesity, where the fat is concentrated on the lower part of the body (hips, pelvis).
This is more typically the female type
of obesity. It may be considered the least aesthetical, but it is also
associated with the lowest medical risks.
- Type
III : So-called visceral obesity: where the fat is on the internal organs, such as the abdominal visceres. This obesity is therefore less obvious to the eye, but it is the type which is associated with the highest health risks in the long-term.
- Type
IV : So-called android, concentrated on the trunk of the body. This typically characterises male obesity and is generally dangerous.
The technical and aesthetic implications of the different types of obesity will be further reviewed in the section on plastic surgery. |
