I have been told I have normal-weight obesity. Is the treatment completely different from that for people with severe obesity?

Normal-weight obesity can describe a state in which weight is within the normal range but muscle mass is low and body fat, especially abdominal fat, is relatively high. With severe obesity, weight and fat mass, joint load, and coexisting conditions must be assessed together, so the two states are difficult to manage in exactly the same way.

For normal-weight obesity, the focus is often on preserving muscle with adequate nutrition and strength training rather than excessive restriction. For severe obesity, start with activity that the joints can tolerate and also review food intake, sleep, and metabolic test results.

Korean medicine may interpret reduced digestion and energy through pi deficiency and heaviness and edema through phlegm-fluid retention. The actual plan is set after reviewing body composition, medical history, and medications; it is not fixed by constitutional interpretation alone.