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Americans are vaguely aware there is an obesity epidemic, but how many know the true facts about adult obesity in the United States?

FACT: there is a difference between being overweight and being obese.
Overweight is defined as more weight than is needed to be healthy, or extra weight that causes slight health risks. (In special cases, such as that of bodybuilders, overweight is somewhat of a misnomer.)

Obese is the next step beyond that. Most doctors use BMI, or body mass index, to classify a patient as overweight or obese. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 and above is considered obese. Body fat percentage and waist circumference are also considered.

FACT: obesity rates in the US are increasing.
Studies performed by the Centers for Disease Control show that over the past 25 years the percentage of obese American adults has doubled to over 33%, with only four states showing an obesity prevalence rate of less than 20% in 2005. An additional 22% of adults fall in the overweight range.

FACT: being obese costs more.
Not only do overweight citizens spend more on convenience foods, they spend more on health care. The CDC estimates that nearly 10% of medical expenditures in 2000 were weight-related, including prevention, diagnostic, and treatment services. A National Health Institute survey cited that obese adults spend 36% more on health care and 77% on prescriptions than non-obese adults.

FACT: being obese puts Americans at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and causes type 2 diabetes.
The illnesses associated with being overweight range from the annoying case of heartburn and asthma to severe risk of heart attacks, stroke, and development of type 2 diabetes.

FACT: obesity rates vary between ethnic groups.
Forty percent of African Americans and 25% of Hispanics are overweight or obese, and young African American women are in the fastest growing group of obese adults.

FACT: the effects of obesity cause early death rates.
The illnesses and conditions caused by obesity can be deadly, and obesity can affect the body's ability to recover from medical emergencies. After tobacco use, the National Institutes of Health states that obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death.

FACT: obesity has an economic impact.
The market for weight loss tools and supplies reached nearly $50 billion in 2007. Obese adults spend well over $100 million annually on weight-related medical expenses. Research Triangle International

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