When addressing responsibility for obese and overweight, all variables must be addressed: the individual, government, community and the food industry must lay claim to the impact of unhealthy choices and lack of access in the nation.

This four-part series examines the global obesity pandemic: its drivers, its economic and health burden, the physiology behind weight control and maintenance, and what science tells us about the kind of actions that are needed to change our obesogenic environment. The fourth paper concludes that sustained interventions at several levels, with national governments taking the lead, are necessary to halt and reverse the epidemic.

Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems.

The prevalence of BMI-defined obesity in adults in the United States continues to exceed 30% in most sex-age groups. It increased significantly over the 12-year period from 1999 through 2010 for men and for non-Hispanic black and Mexican American women, but did not change between 2003-2008 and 2009-1010 for men or women.

The Obama administration is asking food makers to sharply limit any advertising to children and teens of foods high in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars, in an effort to curb obesity. Some food advertisers said the guidelines—which wouldn't take effect until 2016—are too onerous and called for changes.

According to the Sensible Food Policy Coalition, 88 of the 100 most commonly consumed foods and beverages in America would fail the Interagency Working Group proposed nutrition standards.

Fast Food FACTS quantifies the nutritional quality of fast food restaurant menus and documents the full array of marketing practices used to promote these restaurants and their products to children and adolescents.

Search this database for state Legislative and regulation actions related to obesity, nutrition and physical activity topics.

The decision that Medicare will pay for screening and counseling services to help obese patients lose weight has opened an old debate about who can best help people slim down.

Most Americans say the government should play a significant role in reducing obesity among children. But there is strong opposition to government involvement in this effort among conservative Republicans and Tea Party supporters.