Commentary:       Obesity is currently at epidemic proportions in Texas and the whole country.  It has become one of the most serious health problems facing this state and the country.  According to the Texas Department of Health, 61 percent of Texas adults and 35 percent of Texas school-age children are considered overweight or obese.   These numbers are apparently growing rapidly and no one knows when this epidemic will level off.  Obesity must be considered a disease because it is associated with the most common and costly medical problems treated today.  Besides being a health problem itself, obesity contributes to or is accompanied by other dangerous conditions such as diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, sleep apnea, fatty liver, breast cancer, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux, and aseptic necrosis of the hip.  Obesity has its impact on the workplace, causing absenteeism and inefficiency.  Obesity and it’s related illnesses also have a financial impact on society, whether funded publicly or by commercial insurance.  The treatment of obesity is very difficult and mostly unsuccessful in this country.  Some results of the best therapeutic programs produced only a 5-10% reduction in pre-treatment weight and long-term success was much poorer.  Effective medications so far have been unsuccessful, and surgery, though somewhat successful, has associated risks and expense.  I believe we truly have a serious and challenging medical problem with obesity in the future.  I believe our society needs to wake up and realize that they are doing this to themselves.   Maybe when we start witnessing our friends, relatives, and other people being cut out of their houses in order to get them to a health care facility to save their lives, will we begin to realize the severity of this problem. Doc Note:  Some of this data was obtained from The Texas Department of Health website.