Epidemiology of Obesity and Diabetes and Their Cardiovascular Complications

Obesity and diabetes mellitus have reached epidemic proportions in the past few years. During 2011 to 2012, more than one-third of the US population was obese. Although recent trend data indicate that the epidemic has leveled off, prevalence of abdominal obesity continues to rise, especially among adults. As seen for obesity, the past few decades have seen a doubling of the diabetes mellitus incidence with an increasing number of type 2 diabetes mellitus cases being diagnosed in children. Significant racial and ethnic disparities exist in the prevalence and trends of obesity and diabetes mellitus. In general, in both adults and children, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans seem to be at a high risk than…