U.S. weighed down by adult obesity

The physical dangers of obesity are well-documented; it can lead to type 2 diabetes; coronary heart disease (the No. 1 cause of death in men and women)2; high blood pressure; stroke; abnormal blood fats; osteoarthritis; sleep apnea; gallstones; and colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.3 The financial costs of obesity in the U.S. are equally sobering: $147 billion in 2008 alone.4 That amounts to more than nine percent of all U.S. medical expenditures annually.5 Further, obese people or thirdparty payers on their behalf spend about $1,500 more on healthcare each year than is paid for average-weight people.6 Poor eating habits continue to put Americans at risk for obesity.