ABSTRACT

The prevalence of obesity has grown to epidemic proportions in the United States and many other industrialized and developing nations (1-4). Currently, 65% of the adult population in the United States is either overweight [defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI; kg/m2) between 25 and <30] (2) or obese (a BMI of 30 or more) (1,2,5-7). Thirty percent of the entire adult population can be classified as obese (1,2,7). There are three classifications of obesity: Class I (BMI 30-34.9), Class II (BMI 35-39.9) and Class III (BMI 40 or more). Morbid or severe obesity is considered to include classes II and III (4,8).