Adipose tissue gene expression in the context of inflammation and obesity

Obesity is among the most common diseases facing physicians. It is a major cause of premature mortality, with enormous economic impact on our society. A recent study estimated the annual cost of obesity in the U.S. as $93 billion per year, or 9.1% of all healthcare dollars, of which about half is paid by federal dollars.¹ As frightening as these numbers are, they are based on 1998 data on the prevalence of obesity, and recent studies have indicated that the obesity epidemic has continued unabated,² and the percent of adults with BMI >30 kg/m² has increased from 18.3% to 22.5% in the 4 years from 1998 to 2002 (CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System).