The Obesity Epidemic

Overweight and obesity are growing problems. These conditions have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and in most industrialized nations around the world. An explosion in the variety and availability of high-calorie, high-fat convenience foods and the fact that people are exercising less and performing less manual labor have added to the problem. All of the social stigmas involved with being overweight may lead to improper use of aids designed to decrease weight. Once they have decided to lose weight, adolescents, just like adults, want to lose excess weight as quickly as possible and may do so in …