Obese vs. Overweight: What's the Difference?

One difference between the terms "obese" and "overweight" is the number associated with body mass index (BMI). Take your weight, divide it by your height, and square it -- that's your BMI. If your number is 30 or above, you are considered obese. If it's 25 to 30, then you fall in the overweight category. Be warned, though. Some experts don't put much stock in the BMI since it only accounts for weight and height, and not muscle mass.

According to a new study appearing in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, another difference between the two is that one -- obesity -- is associated with 11 percent of deaths from a number of cancers and nine percent of deaths due to cardiovascular problems. Being overweight is not linked at all to these types of deaths. In fact, it's also not related in any significant way to the 40 percent of deaths due to other causes.

Could being overweight have health benefits? Perhaps, although experts don't advise gaining weight because of this speculation. And you surely should not increase your BMI to that dreaded number 30 -- because it seems that's when problems begin to occur.