ABSTRACT
There is general agreement among experts and growing recognition among physicians that obesity is a severe chronic disease that carries along the burden of multiple long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. The recent acceleration in the epidemic of obesity is particularly alarming, because it has occurred despite growing public awareness and strengthened efforts to promote a healthy life-style and prevent weight gain of the general population in many countries (WHO 2000).
