More than one-third of all American adults are overweight, and this proportion continues to increase.
Obesity is an excess of body fat.
Overweight refers to an excess of body weight relative to height. Even modest weight loss by overweight individuals, accomplished by changing the diet, increasing physical activity, and other interventions, can decrease the risk of most forms of morbidity associated with being overweight. The goal of any intervention should be making lifestyle changes that are permanent. See chapter 3 for information on body measurement of children and adolescents. See chapters 56 and 57 for information on counseling adults about nutrition and physical activity.