A growing epidemic is sweeping through the developed world, threatening millions with disability and death: obesity. Epidemic' may sound exaggerated, but the facts speak for themselves: 154 million people worldwide are obeseor more than 20% are over their ideal body weightincluding more than 50% of all Americans. More disturbing is the prevalence of childhood obesity, which has jumped dramatically over the past 20 years and now accounts for a doubling in the incidence of diabetes, a 5-fold increase in sleep apnoea and a 3-fold increase in gall bladder disease. The World Health Organization and the US Surgeon General have already warned that obesity is a serious, life-threatening disease. Indeed, as a major risk factor for hypertension, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and possibly certain forms of cancer, obesity exacts a greater toll on health and healthcare costs than either smoking or drinking. In the USA alone, the direct medical costs of obesity-related diseases account......
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Approximate Word Count: 2022
Approximate Pages: 8 (260 words per double-spaced page) |