Being overweight or obese, and its associated health problems, costs more than $100 billion in health care expenses each year and is a major contributor to the rising cost of health care. Today, more than 60 percent of adults are overweight or obese. The obesity epidemic is not limited to adults. The number of young people who are overweight has almost doubled in the last 20 years for children aged 6-11 and almost tripled for adolescents aged 12-19.

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. In most cases, this means being about 30 pounds overweight. If you are overweight or obese, there are things you can do to that will improve your health and help save health care dollars for all Americans.

Talk with your doctor to devise a balanced diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A balanced diet will help you feel better and help prevent the onset of chronic health problems such as type 2 diabetes, asthma and coronary artery disease. Each of us has the ability to help keep health care affordable by making healthier lifestyle choices beginning with the quantity and quality of the food we eat.