ABSTRACT
Obesity is now recognized as a risk factor for the development of diabetes, gallbladder disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer. Since the major cause of death in the United States and most other countries is cardiovascular disease, the approach to obesity should be designed to reduce the risks of this problem. In this chapter, I will discuss a classification of obesity that is based on anatomic, etiologic, and functional considerations. I will then use the natural history for the development ofobesity to identify the factors associated with its progression and to suggest a stepped approach to evaluation of the overweight patient.
