Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight and that may help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems, to help them lose excess body weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy®, along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, is used to help children aged 12 years and older with obesity to lose excess body weight and keep it off.

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Understanding Weight

Obesity is a common health issue that was misunderstood for a long time. In fact, the American Medical Association did not recognize it as a disease until 2013. Since then, significant advances have been made in understanding this chronic condition and how to manage it.

A light skin toned, feminine-presenting person in their thirties enjoying an orange juice and veggies. Actor portrayal.

What is obesity?

Obesity is a complex chronic disease defined by the World Health Organization as a person having excessive body fat that can impair their health. If an adult’s weight is more than what’s considered healthy based on their height, it’s classified as overweight or obesity.

Obesity is common in the United States. In 2023, more than 1 in 5 adults in all U.S. states and territories had obesity.

A complex chronic disease such as obesity requires a comprehensive approach for diagnosis and management. A person’s body mass index (BMI) is used as a screening tool for overweight and obesity. Adults with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered to have obesity.

What is BMI?

Body mass index (BMI) is a number that's calculated based on your weight and height. Health care professionals use BMI to evaluate a person's weight category—either underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obesity. BMI alone doesn't determine if you are healthy, rather it is one of the tools a health care professional will use to assess your overall health.

You can calculate your BMI below.

Please note that this BMI calculator is intended for adults 20 years and older. BMI for children and teenagers is interpreted differently. Check out our Adolescents With Obesity web page to learn more.

Enter your height and weight in the fields below to calculate your BMI.

Your BMI is
bmi range

Based on your results, this places you in the category of obesity.

Be sure to speak to your health care professional if you have concerns or questions about your weight.

If you need help finding a health care professional, you can search for one here.

Your BMI is
bmi range

Based on your results, this places you in the category of overweight.

Be sure to speak to your health care professional if you have concerns or questions about your weight.

If you need help finding a health care professional, you can search for one here.

Your BMI is
bmi range

Based on your results, this places you in the category of healthy weight.

Be sure to speak to your health care professional if you have concerns or questions about your weight.

If you need help finding a health care professional, you can search for one here.

Your BMI is
bmi range

Based on your results, this places you in the category of underweight.

Be sure to speak to your health care professional if you have concerns or questions about your weight.

If you need help finding a health care professional, you can search for one here.

Your BMI is
bmi range

Please fill out the fields to calculate your BMI.

It's important to remember that BMI is just one piece of a larger health assessment and does not provide a complete picture of a person's health. To determine if your BMI indicates a health risk, your health care professional will need to assess other parts of your overall health like your age, sex, diet, exercise routine, family medical history, muscle mass, waist size, and other relevant factors.

Interested in more info about how BMI came to be used the way it is today? Check out the brief history below.

BMI measurement was further popularized in 1972 in a study by American physiologist Ancel Keys. Keys emphasized the convenience and ease of using BMI in population studies.

It's also important to note the limitations of Keys' study:

  • No women were included in this study
  • While there was some representation of diverse ethnic groups, the majority of subjects were white men from the United States or Europe, making it not fully representative
  • BMI does not distinguish between fat, muscle, and bone mass—all of which contribute to a person's weight

Additionally, Keys used BMI as a simple and fast method to assess health trends of certain populations, not the health of a single person. This is why your health care professional will consider BMI alongside several other factors when determining overall health.

So, if we know BMI isn't a perfect assessment for body fat, why is it still used?

While BMI may not accurately assess body fat across different races, ethnicities, sexes, and backgrounds, it remains a useful diagnostic tool.

BMI is a measurement that is simple to calculate, inexpensive, noninvasive, and easy to collect during routine health visits. Routine BMI tracking over time is useful. The tracking can be used to detect weight loss or weight gain and monitor risk for health problems related to weight.

The main takeaway

BMI is one of the many factors health care professionals use when assessing an individual's weight and health. However, it is just a single aspect of a comprehensive evaluation.

The contributing factors of obesity

Obesity rarely has a single cause. A number of factors can contribute to its development.

Click on each flip card for more information

Genetics

Some people are born with a higher risk of developing obesity due to genetic factors. Researchers have identified at least 15 genes that affect the likelihood of obesity.

Obesity prevention and treatment based on genetics is difficult; however, if a person has a genetic risk for obesity, they can make lifestyle changes to help reduce their risk.

An unhealthy diet

Eating behaviors such as consuming more calories than you use can contribute to the development of obesity. Your sex, age, and physical activity level all play a part in determining how many calories you need daily.

Additionally, eating too much saturated fat or eating foods high in added sugar can increase the risk of developing obesity.

Lack of physical activity

A high BMI (body mass index) has been associated with a lack of physical activity combined with lots of screen time.

One of the most important things a person of any age can do to improve their health is to become and stay physically active. Take a look at the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition and talk to your health care professional for more information.

Certain diseases
and medications

Obesity is also linked to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Additionally, some medicines can cause weight gain. Talk to your health care professional and ask if any medications you take may contribute to weight gain.

Environmental influences

A person's home and office as well as nearby shops, streets, and open spaces are all included in their environment. The environment a person lives in may influence the choices they make, which in turn may contribute to obesity.

Home, childcare, school, health care, and workplace settings and more can influence daily behaviors.

Stress

Long-term and short-term stress can affect the brain. Stress makes your body produce hormones, such as cortisol. Cortisol plays a part in regulating energy balances and hunger urges.

These hormone changes can affect your body and behaviors. For example, they can make you eat more or store more fat.

You may not be able to change all of the factors that contribute to obesity; however, understanding what they are is an important step in working to lower your risk for developing obesity and obesity-related health problems, such as heart disease.

Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep it off?

There are 2 stages commonly recognized in weight management: losing weight and maintaining weight loss. Reducing calories and increasing physical activity may lead to weight loss. But this weight loss can cause a change in appetite hormones, which can make it challenging to maintain the weight loss over time.

If you’ve faced challenges losing weight and keeping it off, you're not alone

In one study, many adults with obesity had difficulty losing weight and keeping the weight off long-term through lifestyle changes alone.

YOU START LOSING WEIGHT

By eating fewer calories and increasing your activity, you may achieve weight loss.

YOUR BODY PUSHES BACK

Losing weight by eating fewer calories may increase your appetite, causing you to eat more, which can push back on your progress.

You’ve got this—but it’s not all on you

Weight management has its challenges, but there are prescription medicines that can help you lose weight and maintain weight loss.

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Weight-management tips

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