US: Country struggles with obesity

Despite the known health concerns of the obesity epidemic in the US, governments, businesses, and individuals are only now beginning to address added economic burden of an obese population, according to an article recently published in Reuters. "The startling economic costs of obesity, often borne by the non-obese, could become the epidemic's second-hand smoke," writes Sharon Begley. "Only when scientists discovered that nonsmokers were developing lung cancer and other diseases from breathing smoke-filled air did policymakers get serious about fighting the habit...Now...policymakers as well as the private sector are mobilizing to find solutions to the obesity epidemic." Although there are some advocacy groups who argue for an end to "size discrimination", researchers argue that public health officials and employers need to understand the full cost of the obesity epidemic in order to make informed decisions on health prevention programs. Reuters.
http://reut.rs/IP7MDy

Date Posted: 1 May 2012