Obesity is one of the leading public health problems in the United States. It is associated with drug abuse and increased mortality. In seeking to differentiate between overweight and obese individuals, it may be said that obesity exists in those individuals who are 40% or more above normal weight as determined on commonly used height and weight tables. However, overweight subjects are those whose height-weight relationship is 10-39% above normal. In the normal body there is an essential amount of fat, between 2% and 6%. It is felt that men should not exceed 15-20% and women 25-30% body fat as calculated by the body density, which is determined from the ratio of the individual's body weight to body volume. It is reported that 49% of the adult population in the United States is overweight or obese. An estimated 2/3 of these individuals seek a means of weight reduction resulting in the aggregate cost of 10 billion dollars a year spent on "dieting." A study of two groups of high school girls showed inactivity as a much more important factor than overeating in the development and maintenance of obesity. Genetic factors, overfeeding of babies, and neurotic behavior problems all contribute to obesity. The lives of most obese subjects are vicious cycles of weight gain and loss. There is a wide variety of programs to gain the attention of the obese, including reduction programs by dieting, drugs, hypnosis, psychotherapy, and surgical intervention. These have met with varied success. (MM)