More than 4 in 10 Americans now fit the medical definition for having obesity, putting them at risk for serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. The pandemic increased the stakes. In its first year, nearly one-third of severe COVID-19 cases were blamed on excess weight.
USA TODAY decided to take a look at how America’s weight has been changing in recent years, including advances in treatments and the scientific understanding of obesity. We spoke with more than 50 experts – in nutrition, endocrinology, psychology, exercise physiology and neuroscience – and people who are intimately familiar with the challenges of extra pounds.
The answers aren’t simple.
But they get to the essence of America: our issues with race, stigma, personal responsibility, economic stability and the power of corporations.