Our Chicago: Obesity In America

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new study found that nearly three quarters of adults in the U.S. are affected by obesity or overweight. That study, reported in the medical journal The Lancet, found that by 2050, nearly 260 million Americans could be impacted.

Dr. Silvana Pannain, Director of Chicago Weight, an interdisciplinary weight loss program and support group at UChicago Medicine calls it a "healthcare crisis." She says there are several reasons why, "This is impacting the healthcare costs

in this country. So, in the most recent estimates, we're looking at 100-to-200 billion of healthcare costs associated with obesity and its complications. It's also not really accounting for what we call the indirect costs. Meaning, the costs associated with absenteeism, with decreased productivity, and disability." Obesity is linked to a number of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Pannain says obesity is itself a disease, "Obesity meets all criteria to be defined as a disease. Obesity has its own genetics and biology and it has its own complications." And it has its own treatments, anti-obesity medications and weight loss surgery. "What we know now that there are many factors, many in the environment, which may affect our propensity of gaining weight over time." Those include chemicals in the environment and a rise in prescription of medications that are associated with weight gain. Race and income also play a role in who is affected by obesity. "Obesity is more prevalent in certain ethnic groups. For example, Black and Hispanic communities. We also know that obesity is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic individuals. "These lower socioeconomic areas may more likely face food deserts. Or lack of spaces, safe spaces, for physical activity or inability to afford fresh, but unfortunately expensive groceries or maybe less access to healthcare or to coverage for effective anti-obesity treatments."

Part 1

Part 2