Obesity is excess body fat resulting in a weight surplus of 20% or more above normal weight. Another common measure is a body mass index (BMI) over 30. "Morbid obesity" is when a person is 50%-100% above normal weight, or has a BMI higher than 40. More than 50% of Americans are currently considered overweight. The direct costs of this endemic place a burden on health care providers system and the cost of insurance premiums. Indirect costs to society may come in the form of days off work and lost income. Lead only by smoke-related diseases, obesity ranks number two as the cause of preventable diseases amongst Americans today.
Learn more:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
cdc.govThe Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS)
surgeongeneral.govNational Institutes of Health
obesityresearch.nih.gov
