The serious problems of obesity and overweight continue to dominate news coverage. More than half of Americans could be obese by 2030, resulting in an array of illnesses that could cost the U.S. up to $66 billion in treatment and over $500 billion in lost economic productivity. The publication entitled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future” estimates 6 million new cases of diabetes; 5 million cases of heart disease and stroke; and more than 400,000 cases of cancer in the next 20 years1.
Unfortunately, with the cultural preoccupation with food, it is becoming increasingly difficult to curb hunger and reduce food intake. The health-cost reductions alone make the opportunities for scientifically substantiated weight-reduction ingredients impressive.