Weight Loss
About one-third of the U.S. population is overweight. One in five people not only exceeds ideal weight, but also meets the clinical criteria for obesity. In the 1990s, rates of obesity more than doubled, and are currently rising by over 5% per year. Because excess body weight is implicated as a risk factor for many different disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, several cancers (such as breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and cancers of the uterus, colon, and kidney), prostate enlargement (BPH), female infertility, uterine fibroids, and gallstones, maintaining a healthy body weight seems prudent. For overweight women, weight loss can significantly improve physical health. A four-year study of over 40,000 women found that weight loss in overweight women was associated with improved physical function and vitality as well as decreased bodily pain. The risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other diseases increases in overweight men and women in all age groups. Losing weight and keeping it off is, unfortunately, very difficult for most people.
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