What Is Super Obese?

The terminology used to describe obesity is evolving in the United States. In addition to phrases coined in popular media, scientists also have a separate naming system to categorize people by their level of body fatness. The names used are evolving as the country experiences an epidemic of obesity, with people reaching levels of body fatness never recorded in American public health. In general, obesity, including "super obesity," is measured by your body mass index as well as the number of pounds overweight you are.

Body Mass Index

Obesity means having too much body fat. One way of measuring obesity is through the body mass index, which is a calculation of your weight in relation to your height. You are obese if your BMI is 30 or greater, and "extreme" obesity is defined as having a BMI greater than 40 (WIN). Within these two levels, you might also hear your healthcare provider use the terms Class II and III, or grade two and three obesity. These refer to a BMI greater than 35 and 40, respectively. Although there's slight variation in its use, "super obese" means having a BMI of 50 or greater. To put it in perspective, a woman who is 5-ft-4-in and weighs 300 pounds would be super obese.

Pounds Overweight

You might also hear your doctor and popular media describe obesity in terms of the number of pounds overweight a person is. For example, you may hear the term "morbidly obese" to refer to a person who is 100 pounds overweight. A person who is super obese is at least 200 pounds overweight.

Statistics

There aren't many precise statistics about super obesity. The Centers for Disease Control tracks obesity rates using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Officials there report statistics on extreme obesity, or BMI > 40, which is inclusive of super obesity. In 2010, the agency reported that 5.7 percent of the U.S. population fell into this category, though some subgroups like middle-aged women and elderly men have significantly higher rates than this average. Though not with precise numbers, another group of CDC researchers reported in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" that people with BMIs greater than 50 is fewer than 2 percent of the U.S. population.

Health Effects

Obesity's negative health effects are many. In addition to the social costs related to healthcare and work productivity, obesity puts you at higher risk of diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, sleep apnea and some cancers. Moreover, for pregnant women, the risk of complications rise with super obesity. Bariatric surgery is one of the leading treatments for super obesity.