Edited by John P.H. Wilding

2008

In the last 10 years obesity has rapidly moved from being a ‘cinderella’ branch of general medicine which was largely viewed by health professionals and policy makers as more of a cosmetic than a medical problem, to becoming recognised as an epidemic that now rivals smoking for its adverse effects on health. These include increased risks for many major common diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, joint disease and many common cancers.