A person measuring their belly with a tape measure.


Obesity is a huge problem for Americans, and some people are just accepting the condition rather than fighting it.   “We consider fat a part of human body diversity,†Tigress Osborn, chair of the nonprofit National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, told USA Today.

In 2005, the U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona declared obesity a bigger threat to America than terrorists, but our government has done very little to regulate food marketing, reduce demand by increasing taxes or adding the kind of nutrition labels to decrease junk food consumption.  Currently, 42% of Americans fit the medical definition of being obese (having a body mass index of 30 or greater).  Many types of cancer are linked to obesity.  So is heart, liver and kidney disease.  And people with obesity run an 80% higher risk of developing diabetes.  Many people swear by the Mediterranean Diet to lose weight.  It consists of delicious foods like lamb, chicken, beef, olive oil, fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts.  Montage or Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) has some great information on their website about weight loss.

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