This infographic below published in January 2011 McKinsey Quarterly is a riveting illustration of how much obesity costs American society – at least $450bn annually.  With more than 12.5MM kids and 73MM American adults categorized as obese, this is unquestionably a national crisis.  

What is equally staggering is that there are so many proven strategies available, whether it as simple as walking our kids to school, watching less TV, getting more sleep, making better personal choices to more complex solutions that involve food access channels and national food & beverage standards.  What I believe is fundmentally lacking is motivation.  Clearly, McKinsey’s study shows that money (at least at the current level) is not enough to drive the kind of paradigm shift that is needed – either at the individual consumer level or at the corporate, institutional or government levels.  The dread of the doctor’s annual wagging finger when you step off the scale is not enough either.  Losing weight is hard work.  It’s not fun.  It takes discipline.   So, we’ve got to be very, very motivated to want to do it.   Where is the right motivation going to come from?

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/newsletters/chartfocus/2011_01.htm