Addressing the Obesity Epidemic
By Ramsey Dallal, MD, FACS
The public’s appreciation of the dangers of obesity may have expanded recently, but unfortunately, Americans’ waistlines have continued to expand, too. In fact, a new study released in September forecasts that 44 percent of American adults living in 50 states will be obese by 2030, if obesity rates continue on their current trajectories. That’s nearly one out of two Americans. And in 13 states, the study projected potential obesity rates that could exceed 60 percent.
Imagine the havoc that could wreak on personal health and the nation’s collective healthcare budget, with the related spike in hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and the myriad other problems linked to obesity.
With the season of gluttony upon us, as we brace for holiday celebrations and the endless temptations to overeat, it seems appropriate to focus on what I see as part of the problem: the obstacles facing primary care physicians that may keep them from confronting patients about their weight.
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