Editor’s note: Kathy Freston is the author of “The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss.” She is on Twitter.
The numbers are stunning: By the year 2030,
42% of Americans will be obese, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of our population will be struggling with obesity-borne problems like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and even certain kinds of cancer. These ailments are serious, time consuming, painful and costly (the increase would create
$550 billion of obesity-related health care costs on top of already soaring expenses). This is not just a crushing problem for the health care system and our economy; it’s a crushing problem for us as individuals. It’s personal.