Obesity is Now as Big a Threat to Health as Smoking

A study reported last week in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concluded that America's obesity epidemic has become as big a threat to our health as smoking.  Researchers from Columbia University and the City College of New York reported that their calculation of health loss from obesity [measured in Quality-Adjusted Health Years] is now equal to, if not greater than, those lost from smoking.  Smoking was found to have a bigger impact on death while obesity has a bigger impact on illness.  The findings are based on a national health survey of 3.5 million U.S. adults.

This study reinforces our need to focus on the solutions to decreasing the obesity epidemic in America.  The cost of obesity in quality of life, productivity, and dollars is something that we can change.  We will continue to highlight successful solutions to the obesity epidemic.