Abstract
Obesity is a complex, chronic, relapsing condition and,
along with ageing, is the greatest contributing factor to
chronic disease burden in our society. It is well recognised
that Australia has one of the highest prevalences of
overweight and obesity in the developed world, affecting
over 60 of adults and 25 of children and adolescents;
this figure is predicted to increase to close to 80 of adults
by the year 2025. One-quarter of Australian adults are
considered to be obese (body mass index [BMI] >30 kg/
m2), and numbers affected by this more severe form of
overweight are rising exponentially. The economic
burden associated with the epidemic proportions of obesity
in Australia has been attributed to the overall healthcare
cost of 58.2 billion in 2008, with direct healthcare costs in
excess of 8 billion per year. These figures are only likely to
increase, further straining health services.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 532 - 541 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Australian Family Physician |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
