Understanding Obesity

Obesity is defined as an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual's ideal body weight (Ford-Martin, 2003). Not long ago, obesity was revered as a sign of wealth. But in the 1900s, the ideal body type began to get thinner. The impact was felt primarily on woman and somehow their success in life became linked to how thin they were. Science is now grasping the fact that biology plays a major role in body weight. Weight control is a huge medical problem in the U.S. (Powell, 2001). About half of the people in U.S. are overweight and one third are clinically obes…