According to federal centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they estimated that obesity is responsible for 365,000 deaths per year in the United States ("Statistics").

Diseases/ Sicknesses caused by Obesity:

• High blood pressure
• Coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure
• Low back pain
• Heartburn
• Gout
• Obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory problems
• Some types of cancer, including endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon
• Poor female reproductive health such as menstrual irregularities, infertility
• Psychological disorders including depression, eating disorders, distorted body image and low self esteem
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Increased surgical risk
• Stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic-floor muscles)
• Hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair)

CDC has also estimated that obesity is the No. 7 most preventable cause of death ("Statistics").

Losing weight/ staying healthy:

• Eat your heaviest meal in the morning or at lunch
• Drink a glass of water before eating
• Eat more slowly
• Eat smaller portions
• Limit the number of meals eaten out, especially fast food
• Keep healthy snacks easily at hand around the house and at work
• Get social support from friends and relatives, or from established programs like Overeaters Anonymous or Wight Watchers (Howard)
• Reduce sedentary activities like TV, video games and computer use
• Manage your stress
• Instead of frying your foods, put them in the oven
• Use fewer cheeses that are high in grease, along with creams and butter, especially when cooking.
• When cooking use little aerosol, vegetable oil, or margarine ("US").

     Overweight?
Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. However, it is the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity ("Pathogenesesis").