Obesity in the U.S. has reached epidemic proportions. Currently, 64.5 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, are overweight and 30.5 percent are obese. Severe obesity prevalence is now 4.7 percent, up from 2.9 percent reported in the 1988 - 1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Obesity currently results in an estimated 400,000 deaths annually and costs nearly $122.9billion. This condition is significantly reducing the quality of life among adults in our nation. Obesity also increases a person’s risk for developing several serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. In addition, childhood obesity affects more than 15 percent of the population under 18 years old classified as overweight.

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease involving many factors including:

Environmental (social and cultural),

Genetic,

Physiologic,

Metabolic,

Behavioral and

Psychological Components

Prevalence
 

 

	Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight
	60 million obese
	9 million severely obese

Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or more, obesity is 30 or more, and severe obesity is 40 or more. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement tool used to determine excess body weight.

Obesity Around the Globe

The global obesity epidemic is completely out of control, with more than 300 million overweight adults worldwide, according to specialists at the first international obesity conference in Africa.

Obesity rates are rising exponentially. Many of the 300 million overweight adults across the world are suffering from weight-related illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and sleeping disorders.

In South Africa, obesity levels equal that of the U.S., with one in three men and more than 50 percent of adult women being overweight or obese. In Morocco 40 per cent of the population is overweight, while in Kenya 12 per cent are overweight. In Nigeria between 6 per cent and 8 per cent of people are obese.