§16§In the past four decades, obesity has been recognized as the most common risk factor for a number of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, hypertension, stroke, high cholesterol, adult onset type II diabetes and certain forms of cancers. The World Health Organization lists overweight in the top 10 devastating risk factors for high mortality in both developing and developed countries. The health consequences range from increased risk of premature death among the affected, to serious chronic diseases that can significantly reduce the quality of life.
