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Gerald W. Peskin, MD

Arch Surg. 2003;138:354-355.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity (ie, a body mass index [BMI] 30) in the period 1999-2000 (the last official report by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES III]) was 30.5% compared with 22.9% in 1980. This increase of 8% is part of a continuing trend. Although all changes were not statistically significant, increases occurred in both men and women in all age groups and of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Among women, obesity was greatest in non-Hispanic African Americans (>80% being overweight). Thus, there seem to be populationwide changes. The potential health benefits from reduction in obesity are a matter of considerable public health importance.¹

Of those in the obese category, 5% are morbidly obese (BMI 40) or approximately 8 to 9 million Americans; this situation is compounding at a rate of 1% per year. As you can well imagine, morbid obesity leads to . . . [Full Text of this Article]

From the Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco–East Bay, Oakland.