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Obesity
Obesity, condition resulting from excessive storage of fat in the body. Obesity has been defined as a weight more than 20% above what is considered normal according to standard age, height, and weight tables, or by a complex formula known as the body mass index. It has been estimated that 30% to 35% of Americans are overweight or obese.
Health and Social Implications
Obesity is a major public health concern because it predisposes the individual to many disorders, such as noninsulin-dependent diabetes , hypertension , stroke , and coronary artery disease , and has been associated with an increased incidence of certain cancers, notably cancers of the colon, rectum, prostate, breast, uterus, and cervix. In contemporary American society, obesity also carries with it a sometimes devastating social stigma. Obese people are often ostracized, and discrimination against them, especially in hiring and promotion, is common.