ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Obesity is a complex chronic disease that results from social, behavioral, cultural, physiological, metabolic, and genetic factors. The most recent national health survey data puts the prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults as 33% (1). More than 66% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Obesity is a major risk factor for multiple comorbidities. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued evidence-based guidelines calling for weight loss in obese and overweight persons with two or more risk factors for obesity-related diseases (2).
