Obesity is the most prevalent chronic disease in the United States and continues to grow at an alarming rate.^1,2 It also increases the risk of developing a number of other health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.³ This will help you understand the growing prevalence of obesity and the serious health threat it poses to individuals within your organization who have this disease.

Obesity is highly prevalent within your ecosystem, and the statics are rising

Approximately 108 million adults aged ≥18 years have obesity in the United States and the prevalence is growing.^2,4,5 By 2030, nearly 1 in 2 adults in the United States will have obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI [a measurement of body fat]) of ≥30 kg/m², and nearly 1 in 4 will have class 2 or 3 obesity, defined as a BMI of ≥35 kg/m².² 

Complications of obesity pose a serious threat to individuals within your organization^6-11 

Obesity can affect people in various ways, many of which may not be noticeable to you. According to the Obesity Medicine Association, there are at least 60 comorbidities associated with obesity.⁶ Examples of weight-related complications include^7-11 

Obesity is a debilitating disease that is likely already impacting the health of your organization

For additional information about the value of chronic weight management to your organization and to download resources you can use to help improve, maintain, and monitor health and wellness, please visit Novo Nordisk Works. 

For additional information about the value of chronic weight management to your organization, please contact us at laura.wicker@pbghpa.org or visit PBGH – Education, Advocacy, and Group Purchasing Solutions.

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References: 1. American Board of Obesity website. https://www.abom.org. Accessed December 7, 2020. 2. Ward ZJ, Bleich SN, Cradock AL, et al. Projected U.S. state-level prevalence of adult obesity and severe obesity. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(25):2440-2450. 3. National Institutes of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. NIH Publication No. 00-4084. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/guidelines/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed December 7, 2020. 4. QuickFacts: United States. United States Census Bureau website. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219. Accessed December 4, 2020. 5. Hales CM, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017-2018, NCHS Data Brief No. 360. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm. Accessed November 5, 2020. 6. Bays HE, McCarthy W, et al. Obesity algorithm 2020. Presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. https://obesitymedicine.org/obesity algorithm. Accessed December 14, 2020. 7. Peterlin BL. Obesity and migraine. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/obesity-and-migraine/. Accessed December 4, 2020. 8. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al; Reviewers of the AACE/ACE Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(suppl3):1-203. 9. Lauby-Secretan B, Scoccianti C, Loomis D, Grosse Y, Bianchini F, Straif K; for the International Agency for Research on Cancer Handbook Working Group. Body fatness and cancer—viewpoint of the IARC Working Group. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(8):794-798. 10. Juraschek SP, Miller ER III, Gelber AC. Body mass index, obesity, and prevalent gout in the United States in 1988-1994 and 2007-2010. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2013;65(1):127-132. 11. Hanson C, Rutten EP, Wouters EFM, Rennard S. Influence of diet and obesity on COPD development and outcomes. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2014;9:723-733.