A large, community-based study—considered the first study to assess the long-term risk of becoming overweight or obese—found over 30 years, that nine out of 10 men in the study and seven out of 10 women were overweight or became overweight. In addition, one in three were obese or became obese. The findings are from the landmark, ongoing Framingham Heart Study. Results of the study suggest that the U.S. may have an even more serious degree of overweight and obesity in the next few decades. Overweight increases the likelihood of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, asthma and other breathing problems, osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease and some forms of cancer according to experts at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The results are a wake-up call to Americans of all ages to adopt strategies to maintain a healthy weight.

Source: U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, news release, Oct. 3, 2005 and Annals of Internal Medicine, Oct. 4, 2005.