Introduction – Obesity and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research
Obesity is a major contributor to serious health conditions in children and adults, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, many forms of cancer, and numerous other diseases and conditions. Individuals who are obese also may experience stigma and discrimination. Obesity takes a substantial economic toll due to increased healthcare costs and lost productivity. As rates of obesity have soared in the past three decades, it is clear that increasing the number of people who achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a critical public health goal, although one that faces formidable challenges. Reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated health consequences will require broadbased efforts by government, the private and nonprofit sectors, businesses, community organizations, healthcare professionals, schools, families, and individuals. Recognizing that simply telling people to “eat less and exercise more” is not enough, many individuals and groups are taking action to decrease the burden of obesity.
At the foundation of these efforts is research to understand the causes and consequences of obesity, develop and evaluate new prevention and treatment strategies, and inform policies. Researchers are trying to answer many questions: How can we augment and use our knowledge of human biology and behavior to develop better and more targeted prevention and treatment approaches for obesity? What factors in our community environments and daily lives contribute to unhealthy eating and insufficient physical activity, and what can we modify so that people could more feasibly attain and maintain a healthy weight? How can we rigorously evaluate interventions—whether based on individual lifestyle changes, pharmacological or surgical