So the obesity epidemic is not news to anyone, but this week it seems everywhere I turn there is more data, more commentary and more perspective on what we need to do to fix it. To name a few, American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a study projecting that at the current rate of growth (no pun intended), 43% of American’s will be obese by 2030. 2030?! Almost half of our population will be obese in just over 15 years – this is soon, people.
In other news, HBO is airing a documentary, Weight of the Nation, which began last night. It’s part of a broader partnership with 
the CDC, NIH and IOM, to take on the issue through a community-based outreach program, including a two-day conference this week in Washington with the same name. In other news, the cover of Newsweek featured a baby holding a box of French fries, exclaiming, “when I grow up, I am going to weigh 300 pounds.” It seems we are literally surrounded by the obesity problem, but, still, people don’t seem to be shedding those extra pounds.
I guess the good news is that people are talking more about the problem. And the conversation across most media seems to focus more on prevention when it comes to obesity-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease. This is crucial if we are to actually change our current trajectory, as the ties between obesity and disease are well documented and a growing burden on our healthcare system and its resources.
