Almost 25 years ago, the Center for Disease Control declared obesity as an epidemic. Since then, this disease continues to worsen with thousands of American communities – particularly those of color – being decimated by the disease. Instead of addressing this disease head on, our leaders in Washington continue to look the other way and treat obesity as a personal choice as opposed to a national health crisis.
We cannot afford to avoid addressing the issue any longer. The list of potential comorbidities related to obesity range from kidney damage to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. A study released by the National Institute on Aging in 2022 shows that obesity rates among adults over 65 has almost doubled since the 1990s, and it is the second leading cause of preventable death in our country with some estimates as high as
