a growing nation. In fact, according to the National Institutes
of Health, more than sixty percent of Americans aged twenty
years and older are overweight, and one-quarter of American
adults are What does this mean for the health of our nation?
Nothing good. Obesity-related diseases are "implicated" in more
than a quarter million deaths every year. Below, Dr Robert
Kushner, Director of the Wellness Institute at Northwestern
Memorial Hospital, discusses the grave consequences of our
growing How serious is the problem of obesity? ROBERT KUSHNER,
MD: It's the most serious problem we are facing today. Next to
cigarette smoking, overweight is the second leading cause of
preventable death in this country. It's estimated that 300,000
deaths per year is attributable to our diet, physical inactivity
and resulting What are the current statistics on overweight and
obesity? One in four is obese, and about one in three is
considered overweight. Combined, over 60% of adult Americans are
now overweight or obese. That means