ABSTRACT
Excess body weight is associated with numerous adverse health consequences including coronary heart disease, type II diabetes and cancer, among others [1,2]. In 2008, an estimated 1.46 billion adults worldwide were classified as overweight; of these, 502 million were obese [3]. These numbers are steadily increasing with the greatest prevalence of obesity occurring in high-income countries such as the United States and Canada. Obesity and its associated health complications have a significant economic impact on healthcare with annual national costs estimated at $4.6 to $7.1 billion in Canada [2], and $92.6 billion in the U.S. [4].
