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Advanced Studies in Medicine, 2002;2(2):40-49.
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Managing obesity in America: An overview.
George L. Blackburn.
Director, Center for the Study of Nutrition and Medicine, Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215.
Abstract: Approximately 60% of the population in the United States is
overweight or obese; the prevalence of this condition has risen sharply in
recent years and continues to rise. An increase in weight-related comorbid
conditions, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon
cancer, and osteoarthritis, as well as an increase in health care costs, has
accompanied the increase in America's weight gain. The considerable degree
of morbidity and mortality and the increasing recognition of the physiologic
factors that regulate appetite have prompted the development and application
of a medical model to treat obesity as a disease while considering the
closely linked emotional issues and behavioral patterns frequently seen in
obese persons. A number of treatment modalities are available, including
weight-loss groups, prescribed food plans, meal-replacement plans, other
special diets, exercise programs and equipment, and 2 relatively new
pharmacologic agents.
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