We Must Change the Way We Eat

A study conducted at Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine suggests that most adults in the U.S. will be overweight or obese by 2030, with related health care spending projected to be as much as $956.9 billion per year.

Overweight and obesity is a runaway health problem that must be addressed. If the current trends continue, 86% of the population will be overweight and 1 out of every 6 healthcare dollars will be spent paying for overweight and obesity-related costs.

The authors of this study, published in the July 2008 peer-reviewed issue of Obesity, warn that overweight and obesity is a public health crisis that is expected to get worse, unless health care professionals from every specialty step up to the plate and start working with their patients on lifestyle choices, including caloric intake and exercise.