Adult obesity in the United States reached
33.2% and 31.1% among females and males,
respectively, in 2003–2004 (Ogden et al. 2006).
The public health risks associated with obesity
are numerous and include premature death,
type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer,
among others (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services 2001). Obesity-related medical
expenditures are estimated at $147 billion
(in 2008 dollars),with taxpayers responsible for
approximately half of the costs through Medicaid
and Medicare (Finkelstein et al. 2009).
Among working adults, obesity also is reported
to penalize hourly wages and the probability
of employment, particularly for women (Han,
Norton, and Stearns 2009).