What is the difference between being overweight and being obese?
Being overweight or obese are both terms for having more body fat than what is considered healthy. Both are used to identify people who are at risk for health problems from having too much body fat. However, the term "obese" generally means a much higher amount of body fat than "overweight."
Everyone needs some body fat for energy, heat insulation, and other body functions. But having too much can lead to serious health problems. The more body fat you have, the greater your risk for diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and other problems.