Obesity rates in the U.S. have more than tripled over the past three decades although several
recent reports provide encouraging data suggesting that rates have stalled and, in some
cases, even started to trend downward [1–3]. There are both direct and indirect costs
associated with obesity. Direct costs include the medical costs associated with obesity; in
2005 alone, over $190 billion was spent in the U.S. on obesity-related annual medical care
spending [4]. And, recent estimates suggest that if obesity trends continue on their current