There are innumerable types of diets that circulate in offices, beauty parlors, the local gym, popular magazines, and the local high school. Some of these diets call for a massive consumption of protein, while others urge dieters to eat only "fat free- foods. Hundreds of fraudulent weight loss schemes suggest that one take one pill a day, eat whatever he or she likes, never exercise, and still lose weight. Weight-loss clinics such as Healthy Weigh, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and Professional Weight Management target those who battle the war with weight by working one-on-one with patients to tackle the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of losing weight. All of these diets, lose weight fast gimmicks, and weight management clinics exist due to the fact that millions of Americans are overweight and want to lose weight. Statistics show that at any one time, more than fifty percent of the United States population is attempting to lose weight (Spearman). However, he obesity epidemic still plagues America. According to the American Diabetic Association, the United Stated is one the fattest nation on earth. If people in the United States continue eating at the present rate, by the year 2030 everyone in America will be obese. Obesity, a serious problem with several contributing factors and numerous potentially fatal effects, can be most effectively battled through treatment and with prevention.
Obesity, a serious problem throughout the United States, is most commonly defined as being twenty percent or more over one's ideal body weight. Since 1960, the number of obese Americans has steadily increased, and today approximately fifty million Americans are affected by obesity. On average, an estimated four million die from this illness every year. Former United States Surgeon General, Everett Koop states, "Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in America- (About Obesity).