Obesity is big business

Today starts ObesityWeek 2015, an annual conference, during annual meetings of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery and The Obesity Society.

These organizations describe themselves as catering to and advocating for professionals and specialists working in the obesity field, offering networking and leadership opportunities as well as access to news and toolkits.

During the week, “obesity experts” will help attendees collaborate to better care and understand their obese patients in the world with the common purpose of alleviating burdens of the obesity disease.  In case you didn’t know, as I’ve now learned, obesity is a disease.

These obesity-fighting missionaries have much to do here in the United States which is home to about 13 percent of the worldwide population of obese people. Apparently, more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese.

According to the ObesityWeek 2015 website, the prior year conference was attended by more than 5,200 attendees from 73 countries who immersed themselves in everything under the sun related to obesity.  There were more than 250 exhibit booths of exhibitor vendors to educate and tantalize obesity professionals and businesses on how to do a better job and make more money serving obese individuals.

My take on all of this is that the obesity industry needs obese people more than obese people need the obesity industry because obesity is big business.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum