Obesity

Larry E. Smith, MD, FACP

5116 Northwind Blvd, Valdosta, GA 31605, 229 261 9500

Obesity is presently a leading medical condition with about two thirds of the adult population either overweight or obese. This results in 325, 000 deaths and 39-52 billion dollars in health care cost each year. Of great concern is the increased risk of diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease associated with obesity. The gold standard for diagnosis is the body mass index (BMI), which is the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 Kg/m2 or greater.