The Obesity Crisis: What's it all about?

The nation's scales are going up...up...up...and it's clear that we have an obesity health crisis on our hands. So what can we do about America's obesity epidemic? It's not just a case of telling people to eat fewer doughnuts and walk around the block each day. Scientists--including specialists called endocrinologists--are looking into the many biological angles behind adult obesity, childhood (pediatric) obesity, and obesity-related health problems (diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, and are working to figure out how to combat the obesity epidemic.

To help members of the public, the media and students get a grip on the huge topic of obesity, two sister organizations--The Endocrine Society and The Hormone Foundation--have developed a free Web site and a matching handbook loaded with information about obesity's causes, impact, and research into how to reduce obesity.

This site is packed with useful information, including:

• Demographic and geographic breakdowns of the obesity epidemic; and
• Key advances in endocrine research on obesity, and underlying conditions contributing to obesity, including- metabolic syndrome;
• Trends in obesity research including: Leptin imbalance, Intrauterine nutrition and adenovirus (AD-36)
• Obesity's cost burden to society and the healthcare industry;
• Medical complications from obesity, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and more
• The endocrinologist's role in assessing, treating and managing obesity; and
• Helpful resources for obese people, their families and friends

The PDF Web version of The Endocrine Society's handbook on obesity is available by clicking on the icon on the left. To obtain a hard copy of the handbook on obesity, write to The Endocrine Society, 8401 Connecticut Ave., Suite 900 Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Please feel free to contact us with questions or comments.