T he prevalence of obesity has risen substantially during the past 25 years in the United States and most developed countries, with a related increase in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Almost one third of the adult US population is considered to be obese (body mass index [BMI] 30), and 1 in 20 is extremely obese (BMI 40). 3 Nearly 17% of children and adolescents are overweight in the United States. Obesity is associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer, higher overall mortality rate, 4 -6 and decreased longevity. Extreme obesity can truncate life expectancy in young adults by 5 to 20 years. 8 Accordingly, the expected benefits of weight reduction for obese individuals are profound.
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Gadde et al. (2006) studied this question.
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