Main description:

This book offers an authoritative analysis of the effects that obesity is having on the health and the economic and social well-being of the United States, with a focus on controversies and informed action. Obesity is America's number one health risk, affecting three out of ten people; nearly two-thirds of the adult population. However, the United States is far from alone in seeing obesity rates accelerate. And because obesity is so pervasive, it is often underestimated and accepted despite it being a serious medical condition. In this timely and revealing handbook, two of the foremost experts on obesity provide an up-to-date, scientifically accurate, yet accessible study of our current understanding of the causes, consequences, and most effective responses to this persistent health threat. "Obesity: A Reference Handbook" helps readers unravel the connections between obesity, genetics, and the environmental and behavioral factors that might exacerbate the condition. It brings together the latest findings from a wide range of recent studies, including those aimed at defining obesity, analyzing diets, and evaluating medication and surgical treatments.
The handbook also explores the economic and social ramifications of obesity, covering issues such as weight discrimination and the complex question of how to determine responsibility for prevention and treatment. Readers will also encounter the researchers, businesses, activists, and government agencies working to alleviate obesity in the United States and worldwide. This series includes an exhaustive introductory essay; and a chronology of key events, movements, and legislation. This title contains: primary source documents, including excerpts from the U.S. Surgeon General's 2001 Call to Action, the 2004 Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHBLI) Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults (1998); list of state and federal government organizations that offer additional information about obesity; and, online resources offering in-depth information on food issues. It examines common causes of obesity, treatment, and prevention including views about genetic determinants.
It covers new, and in some cases, controversial causes of obesity including viruses, sleep disturbances, and the effects of obese friends and family members. It details how individuals, the government, the health care community, and the private sector are responding to obesity challenges.