The prevalence of obesity in the United States continues to be high, exceeding 30 percent in most sex and age groups. Obesity is a risk factor for a variety of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, certain cancers, and arthritis. If these trends continue, obesity will contribute to $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018 -- 21% of health-care spending.
In 2008, 63 percent of U.S. adults were overweight or obese, but developing effective prevention and treatment strategies on a population-wide basis is challenging. As states continue to develop public policies to reverse this troubling trend and to contain costs, family physicians play a crucial role in ensuring informed decision-making.
Obesity
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