The Obesity Epidemic and Its Impact on Urologic Care

Although heart disease and cancer are the number one and two causes of death in the United States, respectively, obesity is gaining speed as a contributing cause to both of those conditions, along with diabetes, arthritis, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, and certain malignancies. Nearly one-third of the adults in the United States is overweight with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m(2), and another third of the adult population is obese, with a BMI greater than 30 kg/m(2). This article reviews the root causes of obesity, the societal implications, and the implications of obesity on various urologic diseases.