What does being obese really mean? When the amount of fat stored in a human body endangers that person's health, he/she is said to be obese. Currently the United States is leading the world with the highest percentage of overweight population. Over thirty percent of Americans, age 15 and up, struggle with their weight. That means that approximately one in three Americans is overweight. However, instead of looking at our eating habits, we often blame heredity or glandular imbalance for our obesity.