Diagnosis of Obesity

The diagnosis of obesity is primarily based on clinical evaluation, including a thorough medical history, physical examination, and assessment of body composition.

  • Taking your health history. Your doctor may review your weight history, weight-loss efforts, physical activity and exercise habits, eating patterns and appetite control, what other conditions you’ve had, medications, stress levels, and other issues about your health. Your doctor may also review your family’s health history to see if you may be predisposed to certain conditions
  • A general physical exam. This includes measuring your height; checking vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure and temperature; listening to your heart and lungs; and examining your abdomen.
  • Calculating your BMI. Your doctor will check your body mass index (BMI). A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obesity. Numbers higher than 30 increase your health risks even more. 

Blood tests may be conducted to assess various factors related to obesity and its associated health risks.

Measuring metabolic rate can help determine the number of calories a person burns at rest (basal metabolic rate) or during physical activity.

Certain imaging tests may be used to assess body composition and distribution of fat.

In some cases, sleep studies may be conducted to evaluate the presence of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder often associated with obesity.

Scroll to Top