Dieting and Health

Obesity, officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association, is epidemic in the United States. More than 30 percent of adult Americans are over-weight, compared with 25 percent a decade ago. Excess weight is linked to many health problems, including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Yet most people struggling to slim down find only one weapon in their arsenal: the reduced- calorie diet. Close to 50 million Americans are dieting right now, but most will not lose as much weight as they want. Most who do reduce will quickly regain the lost weight, or gain more. Current research into the genetic and metabolic foundations of obesity suggests that other approaches, such as regular exercise and long-term drug therapies, may be more effective for some people.