September 4, 2011 — According to a recent four-part obesity series published in the medical journal The Lancet, obesity could affect 165 million Americans by the year 2030.
Research authors who conducted the report state that statistics along with historic trends show rates of obesity have been rising throughout the world. Researchers claim that these increases can be attributed to changes in the global food system, which is producing more processed, affordable, and effectively marketed food. The research series also addresses the economic burden obesity will have on healthcare costs in the future, estimating that by 2030, treatment for preventable diseases that arise from obesity will cost the United Sates an extra $48 to $60 billion a year.
For more information on how to address obesity in your patients, check out resources in ACA’s “Why Weight? Get Healthy!” public awareness campaign. Also consider building on your knowledge of health promotion by signing up for ACA’s Wellness Program, a 40-hour program that encompasses the core principles of coaching patients in health and wellness.
Source: American Chiropractic Association, www.acatoday.org
