The Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE) is a universitywide group of investigators dedicated to excellence in obesity research. The Center's mission is to facilitate interdisciplinary research on the etiology, consequences, treatment and prevention of obesity.
Obesity represents one of our greatest public health challenges. More than 40 percent of Americans have obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. Another third of Americans are overweight and at risk for developing obesity. As a result, more than 70 percent Americans are at risk for or already suffer from a number of significant weight-related health problems, including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and several forms of cancer.
The problem is not limited to adults, as a large number of children and adolescents are overweight or have obesity. Some are beginning to experience significant health issues once believed to be only seen in adults. Obesity has an undeniable negative impact on healthcare costs as well as the well-being and quality of life of individuals throughout our country and the world.
