About NIH Obesity Research

The Health Problem of Obesity

Obesity has risen to epidemic levels in the United States. Individuals with obesity may suffer devastating and costly health problems, face reduced life expectancy, and experience stigma and discrimination. The high prevalence of obesity likely results from a multitude of factors: inherent genetic and other biological traits that differ among individuals, aspects of the environment, and behavioral factors--which may have both genetic and environmental influences. Obesity disproportionately affects people from certain racial and ethnic minority populations and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. The continued efforts of government and other organizations will be valuable toward reducing obesity, so that people can look forward to healthier lives. 

Role of the NIH in Addressing the U.S. Obesity Epidemic: Research Contributions

As the nation’s biomedical research agency, the NIH seeks to capitalize on recent scientific discoveries to propel new efforts to gain new insights into the factors contributing to obesity and to design and test strategies for prevention and treatment. The NIH supports a broad spectrum of obesity-related research, including studies of fundamental biologic processes that influence body weight; studies of behaviors and a range of environmental factors; clinical trials; and translational research. The challenges of today's obesity epidemic are daunting, yet the discoveries emanating from past and ongoing research investments offer unprecedented opportunities for new scientific research efforts to help meet these challenges.