Experts compare the rapid spread of obesity to that of a communicable disease.
Obesity contributes to 300,000 deaths annually in the United States, making it the second leading cause of preventable mortality in this country. The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of U.S. adults are overweight, and about one-quarter are clinically obese. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that one out of four American children and teens is overweight or obese. That amount, however, pales in comparison with the drain on the U.S. economy from obesity-related health problems. On this and the following two pages, here's a closer look at dealing with America's obesity epidemic.