Overweight means weighing more than what doctors consider healthy for a person's height and age. When someone is overweight, they're carrying extra weight that their body doesn't need, which can make everyday activities harder and affect their health over time.

Doctors use measurements like the Body Mass Index, or BMI, to estimate whether someone's weight is in a healthy range. Being overweight is different from being obese, which means carrying significantly more extra weight. Many factors contribute to being overweight: eating more food than the body burns for energy, not getting enough physical activity, genetics, and sometimes medical conditions.

The word can also describe objects. An overweight suitcase at the airport weighs more than the airline allows, and you might have to remove items or pay an extra fee. A truck that's overweight for a bridge might damage it.

Bodies come in many different shapes and sizes, and health involves much more than weight alone: it includes strength, energy, sleep, and how well your body systems work together.