Excess body weight is associated with numerous medical conditions including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis and sleep apnoea.

Obese individuals are three times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and more than 90% of cases of Type 2 diabetes are caused by excessive weight.

In addition, continuing research is establishing that obesity is a risk factor for many forms of cancer including breast, colon, kidney, uterus and prostate, and also correlates with a poorer outcome for certain types of cancer.

The risk of death from all causes increases with excess weight, including the risk of death associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. On an annual basis, approximately 300,000 deaths in the US and 250,000 in Europe are associated with excess weight.