Obesity in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about two-thirds of American adults are overweight. Roughly one-third of Americans are obese.

Being overweight increases the risk for many types of health problems, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer. In addition, obesity may affect quality of life and lead to low self-esteem and depression. The Endocrine Society estimates obesity is associated with 400,000 deaths each year in the U.S. and costs this country about $122.9 billion annually.

Losing Weight

One of the National Health Objectives for 2010 is to decrease the rate of adult obesity in the U.S. to 15 percent. Losing just 10 percent of excess weight can greatly reduce the risk of many obesity-related health problems. But weight loss isn't easy. Many people become frustrated in their attempts to lose weight and give up. Some others are initially successful, but regain some or all of the weight when they go back to their old eating and lifestyle habits.

Alan Peterson, Ph.D., Psychiatry Professor/Researcher at UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, says weight gain often occurs in a slow, steady pace. Many people only gain a few pounds a year. While that's doesn't seem like a lot, over time, the cumulative weight gain can be quite significant, packing on an extra 10 to 15 pounds in just a couple of years. Peterson and his colleagues recently did a study to determine if a web-based weight loss program could help people lose weight or prevent weight gain over the long run.

Study participants were 446 overweight active-duty Air Force personnel (222 men and 224 women). They were divided into two groups for six months of treatment. One group received usual care. The second group received the web-based intervention, consisting of Internet-based food and exercise diaries, online nutrition and behavioral counseling and interactive telephone calls with a counselor.

At the end of the study period, those who participated in the web-based intervention lost about 2.86 pounds. In addition, these men and women lowered their BMI and decreased their percent body fat and waist circumference. On the other hand, men and women who received usual care gained about 1.32 pounds. They also had an increase in BMI, percent body fat and waist circumference.

Behavioral Interventionist, Toni Brundige, says the study shows a web-based weight loss program can be a very effective tool for helping people lose weight. Although the participants didn't lose a significant amount of weight, at least they didn't gain weight (like the "usual care" group). And research shows a slow, steady weight loss is more likely to be sustained than a quick loss of pounds. Since many people have access to the Internet, a web-based weight management program has the potential to reach a large number of people.

Some free interactive web-based tools to help you with diet and weight loss: National Heart, Lung and Blood InstituteShape Up America! Cyberkitchen

For general information about obesity and weight loss: Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThe Endocrine SocietyThe Obesity Society