What are the consequences and risks to being overweight?

 The consequences of obesity are numerous but include:

 Increased Morbidity and Mortality ¹

Reduced Productivity and functioning ²

Increased Healthcare costs ²

Discrimination: social and economic ²

¹ Gray. Med Clin North Am. 1989:7.1-13

² Gorstein et al. PharmacoEconomics, 1994;5:58-61

 The health consequences of obesity include:

            Cardiovascular Disease

            Type 2 Diabetes

            Hypertension

            Dyslipidemia (high cholesterol and/or triglycerides)

            Ischemic Stroke

            Arthritis

            Forms of cancer (gastrointestinal and endometrial)

            Gall bladder disease

            Gynecologic Irregularities

            Sleep apnea

The risk or consequences of all of these diseases will be reduced markedly by even small improvements in weight.