Obesity now poses as great a threat to Americans' quality of life as smoking, a new study shows.
Researchers analyzed 1993-2008 data that included interviews with more than 3.5 million adults. The results showed that the quality-adjusted life years lost to obesity are equal to, or greater than, those lost because of smoking.
From 1993 to 2008, the number of adult smokers decreased 18.5 percent and smoking-related quality-adjusted life years lost remained relatively stable. Over that same time, the proportion of obese Americans increased 85 percent. Obesity had a larger effect on disease, while smoking had a greater impact on deaths, the researchers found.