During the past decade, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Nationwide, the prevalence of
obesity has rapidly increased by 44.3 percent from 15.8 percent in 1995 to 22.8 percent in 2003.
Maryland has also experienced a similar increase in the prevalence of obesity. From 1995 to
2003, the prevalence of obesity in Maryland increased by 34 percent, from 16.3 percent in 1995
to 21.9 percent in 2003. In 2003, an estimated 2.3 million or 59 percent of Maryland adults were
overweight or obese. Of this–about 838,000 people–were obese.
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