Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20 percent or more above your ideal body weight  is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk. Today 127 million Americans, more than one-third of the adult population, are overweight, and 60 million are obese. An estimated 9 million of those are considered morbidly obese.