Have you or has someone you love been diagnosed with class 3 obesity? This can be a tough and confusing diagnosis. You may have a lot of questions: What does it mean? What should I do next? What changes should I make to feel better? It’s not unusual to leave the doctor’s office with more questions than answers.

Learning what class 3 obesity is — and how it may affect your health — can help you make informed choices about treatment options, lifestyle, and support. The more you understand, the more power you have to manage your health and improve your quality of life.

What Is Class 3 Obesity?

There are three classes of obesity, and they are based on your body mass index (BMI). This number looks at how tall you are and how much you weigh and uses that information to estimate how much body fat you have. Class 3 obesity is defined as a BMI above 40. It’s also diagnosed when a person has a BMI over 35 combined with serious obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease.

Doctors and researchers sometimes call this “clinical obesity” when it has already started to affect how organs work. This is different from “preclinical obesity,” which means there’s extra body fat but no clear signs of damage yet.

Class 3 obesity is a complex, long-term health condition. It’s not just about a person’s weight — it also raises the risk for other serious medical problems. These can lead to disability or even shorten a person’s life if not managed well.

Class 3 obesity used to be called morbid obesity, but today, the term “class 3 obesity” is preferred because it’s less stigmatizing.

Body Mass Index Drawbacks

It’s important to note that body mass index is only an estimate. It can’t tell, for example, if excess weight might be due to having a lot of lean muscle mass, rather than fat. BMI also doesn’t consider a person’s ethnicity or genetic background, which can affect muscle mass. It may misclassify people, especially those who aren’t from European backgrounds. That’s because BMI was created using data from white European people, and it doesn’t account for the natural differences in body type and fat distribution among people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Although BMI is used around the world, it has limitations and isn’t always the best measure of health. Some medical guidelines now suggest looking at both BMI and any obesity-related health issues when deciding on treatment.

What Health Risks Are Related to Class 3 Obesity?

Living with class 3 obesity puts you at a higher risk for several serious health conditions. Some people may have many of these, while others may not have any. No matter what your experience is, a diagnosis of class 3 obesity puts you at a higher risk for:

• Heart disease
• Atherosclerosis (clogged or partially clogged arteries)
• Dyslipidemia
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Certain breathing issues, including obesity hypoventilation syndrome
• Sleep problems, including obstructive sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Liver problems
• Kidney problems
• Some cancers, like esophageal, breast, pancreatic, liver, and colorectal
• Arthritis
• Metabolic syndrome
• Fertility problems
• Asthma

Research shows that the health risks increase as obesity progresses from class 1 to class 3. Class 3 obesity carries the highest risk of serious health problems and early death. If class 3 obesity isn’t treated effectively, it can lead to complications that may significantly shorten a person’s life expectancy.

What Causes Class 3 Obesity?

There’s no single cause of class 3 obesity. It usually happens because of the interaction of several factors. These are different for different people. Common contributing factors often include:

• Genetics — There are at least 15 genes that can contribute to obesity. Research is ongoing to understand these better.
• Medications — Some people need medications that can lead to weight gain as a side effect.
• Hormone problems — Certain diseases cause hormone imbalances in the body, which can cause a person to gain weight.
• Environmental issues — Exposure to some chemicals and other toxins can lead to weight gain.
• Cultural background — Different cultural traditions can influence eating habits, including the types of food eaten and how much is served.
• Financial and geographical issues — Limited income, free time, or access to healthy food and safe places to be active can make it harder to manage weight.

Looking at this list, it makes sense that different people might end up living with class 3 obesity for different reasons. It also makes sense that the condition might be difficult to treat.

How To Treat Class 3 Obesity

There’s no one way to treat class 3 obesity. It usually requires a comprehensive approach. This means that your doctor won’t just give you advice and send you on your way. Instead, they may help you find a team of practitioners in different fields who can work together to help treat the condition.

This comprehensive approach can involve medications, different treatments focused on changing behavior, and even bariatric surgery.

Behavioral Changes

You’ll likely be encouraged to make lifestyle changes to treat class 3 obesity and get healthy again. These might include:

• Improving your diet by focusing on healthy eating habits
• Getting good sleep and other rest
• Exercising more or raising your level of physical activity
• Lowering your overall stress levels

Your healthcare provider may recommend working on these areas with someone who specializes in treating obesity. You can do this in an individual or a group setting, depending on what you want and what’s available in your area. Your plan should be personalized for your body type and needs.

You may also want to find a therapist. They can help you navigate any mental health issues you’re facing. They can also help you change your behavior in ways that feel honest and authentic. Frequently, with class 3 obesity, behavioral changes can help, but they rarely bring a person back to a healthy BMI. Most often, additional treatments are needed.

Medications

Weight loss medications can be key players in treating class 3 obesity. There are many options, and you and your doctor can talk through these to figure out what might work best for you.

Commonly used drugs include glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 drugs. These medications have been shown to help people living with obesity lose 15 percent to 20 percent of their body weight. GLP-1s help even if you have some other conditions alongside obesity, like type 2 diabetes. These medications are becoming more widely used. You can ask your doctor if one might be a good option for you.

It’s important to talk to your doctor first — don’t buy GLP-1s directly online. For example, you could have high triglyceride levels and not know it. In that case, taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist could increase your risk of pancreatitis, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Some online services sell these medications without a medical evaluation, which can be dangerous.

Research shows that using both behavioral counseling and medication together often leads to better results than either one alone.

Weight Loss Surgery

If these other options aren’t helping or aren’t helping enough, your doctor may talk to you about surgical options. These all have their risks and benefits. Bariatric surgeries like sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass not only promote significant weight loss but can also improve or resolve related health issues like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

Your doctor can help you figure out what you need. If surgery is an option, you’ll start by deciding whether it’s the right choice for you. Then, you can work together to choose the procedure that best fits your goals and health needs.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you’ve been diagnosed with class 3 obesity — or think you might qualify — talk to your doctor as soon as possible. The risk of developing serious health problems is real, but support and treatment options are available. Your doctor can help evaluate your situation and connect you with the right resources to support your health and improve your quality of life.

Find Your Team

MyObesityTeam is the social network for people with obesity and their loved ones. On MyObesityTeam, more than 57,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with obesity.

Have you been diagnosed with class 3 obesity? What has it been like managing the health risks linked to your diagnosis? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.