The article is a review of recent epidemiological observations concerning the prevalence of overweight and obesity in different countries among people of different gender, age. social and ethnic groups. It also presents and analyses health risks and comorbidities leading to disability and death as reported by domestic and foreign researchers. It was found that obesity has multifactorial pathogenesis directly related to energy balance, consumed and expended calories. The need of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment and prevention of the disease is emphasized taking into consideration the influence of the environment and increasing urbanization on the development of the pathology as well as the role of government efforts to stimulate physical activity of the population in the framework of integral interdisciplinary programs and control over the quality of food. The priority areas for the correction of overweight include optimization of motor activity and diet correction.