Obesity & Metabolism

  • Obesity is complex and affects overall health. It increases the risk of serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes and stroke and often has many causes.
  • Metabolism plays a key role in weight management. Understanding how your body burns calories helps guide safe and effective weight loss.
  • Personalized treatment improves long-term success. Both medical and surgical weight loss options are available, with plans tailored to your health needs and goals.

How to lose weight begins with understanding obesity, metabolism and the many factors that affect how your body stores and burns energy. Treatment options include personalized medical weight loss management and surgical weight loss solutions. Both are designed to improve your health and support your long-term goals.

What is obesity?

In simple terms, a person is considered overweight or obese when their body has too much fat, which raises the risk of serious health problems. Body mass index (BMI) is one tool we use to estimate body fat and determine if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. 

BMI estimates body fat based on height and weight. It is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared, then multiplying by 703. A BMI or 30 or higher is considered obese.

BMI Breakdown

Below 18.5: Underweight
18.5-24.9: Normal weight
25-29.9: Overweight
30 or higher: Obese

Use our calculator to determine your BMI.

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BMI is a useful screening tool, but it does not directly measure body fat. It doesn’t take into consideration muscle mass, bone density or how fat is distributed in the body. Because body types vary, BMI should not be the only tool used to diagnose obesity. A complete evaluation looks at body composition, health history and metabolic factors.

Causes of obesity

Obesity is complex and often has more than one cause. At NKC Health Total Weight Loss, we create a customized weight loss plan that considers many possible factors, including:

  • Food choices and portion sizes
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Behavior pattens
  • Genetics
  • Menopause weight gain
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Medical conditions like diabetes

Our comprehensive program offers support and services before, during and after weight loss to help you achieve lasting results. 

Metabolism

Metabolism is how your body turns food and drink into energy, by burning calories. It refers to all the chemical processes that keep your body working, even when you are at rest. A high metabolism means your body burns calories quickly. A low metabolism means your body burns calories slower.

A large waist size may signal a problem called metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that occur together, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, high fasting glucose and too much fat around the waist.

People who have metabolic syndrome often have apple-shaped bodies. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. There is also a strong link between diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

As you lose weight, your metabolism can change. To ensure your body is getting what it needs, we track your metabolism and body composition using these tools:

  • Indirect calorimetry – This test measures your resting metabolic rate (RMR), or how many calories your body burns at rest. Here’s how it works: You breathe into a small device for 10 minutes, and we calculate how much oxygen your body uses. This tells us how much energy, or calories, your body needs to function when you’re not active. We’ll repeat this test throughout your weight loss journey.
  • Tanita body composition scale – This device measures various body measurements beyond weight, including body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, body water percentage, visceral fat and metabolic age. How it works: You step barefoot on a device that looks like a bathroom scale, which sends a mild, safe electric current through the body — a process called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). It helps estimate your body composition.

Weight loss health benefits

Being overweight or obese is connected to many serious and even life-threatening conditions. There is also a strong connection between weight and mental health. Losing just 5%-10% of your total body weight is often enough to lower your risk of these weight-related conditions:

  • Diabetes
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Gout
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Increased risk of cancer
  • Liver disease
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Pulmonary disease
  • Stroke

Weight loss options at NKC Health

NKC Health Total Weight Loss offers you a personalized approach to weight loss. Since 2012, we have been helping people like you improve their heath and quality of life. We understand you are more than the number on a scale. We offer:

Medical weight loss management
This is a nonsurgical option for patients who are not ready for bariatric surgery. We create a customized plan to meet your weight loss goals.

Surgical weight loss
Our surgeons have performed more than 2,000 bariatric surgeries. We offer several different options.

Free information session

Hear from our surgeons and other members of our multidisciplinary team to see if bariatric surgery is right for you.
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What BMI is considered obese?
A BMI of 30 or higher is classified as obese.

Can you be healthy with a high BMI?
Yes. BMI does not distinguish between fat and muscle. For example, athletes may have high muscle mass and a high BMI, but they don’t have the health risks associated with high body fat.

Does metabolism slow down with weight loss?
Yes. As you lose weight, your metabolism may slow slightly because a smaller body requires less energy to function, reducing the overall calories burned. This can cause plateau, decreased energy levels and increased hunger.

Can you boost your metabolism?
Yes. Strength training, physical activity, adequate protein intake and proper sleep support a healthy metabolism.

Can hormone imbalances cause weight gain?
Yes. Conditions such as thyroid disorders, insulin resistance and menopause-related changes can affect weight.

When should someone consider bariatric surgery?
Surgery may be considered for people with a BMI of 35 or more who have at least one medical condition related to obesity, are willing to engage in lifestyle and diet changes that support weight loss and have the support of family and friends.