ABSTRACT
Obesity continues to plague our society as a major public health issue. The latest obesity prevalence statistics show over 70% of U.S. adults are overweight and 40% of U.S. adults and 20% of youth are obese. Unfortunately, the prevalence of obesity among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanic adults is even higher at 47%. 1 Healthcare costs associated with obesity-related disease are in excess of $190 billion per year. 2,3 In addition, the economic impact expands past healthcare costs and includes indirect costs associated with wages lost due to employee absenteeism, decreased work productivity, poor academic performance, impaired cognition, and low morale both in the present and future.
