ABSTRACT
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess fat is accumulated in the body, which further results in an adverse health effect (Haslam and James 2005). Measurement of obesity is determined by body mass index (BMI), which compares weight and height. A person is considered to be overweight (or preobese) if BMI is between 25 and 29.9 and obese with BMI over 30. In the United States, obesity is a serious problem. About one-third of the U.S. adults (33.8%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese. The obesity is dramatically increased in the United States during the last 20 years, and the trend is still the same. In 2010, all states had a prevalence of obesity over 20%. In the United States, cost for obesity-related health problems is also high-about $168 billion costs every year, amounting to 17% of all medical bills. Obesity is not a sole disorder; rather it increases the risk of development of many other common diseases including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer, sleep apnea, abdominal hernias, varicose veins, gout, gall bladder disease, respiratory problems, and liver malfunction. Thus, the reduction of obesity could prevent the onset of several chronic diseases.
