According to the American Cancer Society, obesity rates have risen by 48 percent over the last 15 years. It is a growing problem that often causes health and self-esteem issues and greatly impacts one's quality of life.

A study by the American Institute for Cancer Research found that more than 100,000 cancers in the U.S. each year are linked to excess body fat. Specifically, obesity is linked to endometrial, esophageal, pancreatic, kidney, gallbladder, breast, and colorectal cancers.

Cancer isn't the only health issue obesity has been linked to. Court Witschey, health promotions coordinator at the Washington County Health Department, said the cardiovascular-related health problems associated with obesity are vast.

According to the American Heart Association, obesity can lead to coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diabetes, and stroke.

"We're seeing adult diabetes (type 2) in elementary school kids, and a lot of those kids are obese children," Witschey said.

Jan Rary, a licensed dietitian with Marietta Memorial Hospital, said 80 percent of people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Rary added that obesity also takes its toll on one's muscles and joints.

"What I find in counseling people is that (muscle and joint soreness) is the one that affects people right here and now," she said. "Diabetes and heart disease is out there later on, but every day their knees hurt or their feet hurt and they want to keep up with their grandchildren and children, or they get tired of being winded when they walk up the stairs."

Vickie Hendershot, a registered nurse who is certified by the American Council on Exercise, said obesity can also cause sleep apnea.

"There's not enough space for the organs to work properly," she said. "As the person lies down, with that extra abdominal fat pressing against their system, it can close off their airways."

The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Web site, www.mayoclinic.com, describes obstructive sleep apnea as a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It is the most common type of sleep apnea, and more than half of those with the disorder are overweight.

While there are many physical consequences linked to obesity, it can also take its toll on one's self-esteem.

Ryan May, associate professor of psychology at Marietta College, said the mental consequences of obesity vary from person to person.

"There can be some issues of self-worth and body image," he said. "And there are times when being overweight can be a consequence of other mental factors."

He noted that many people who are depressed decrease their food intake, but the food they eat is typically unhealthy, which can lead to obesity.

May pointed out that in many cases, the body image issues are more pronounced for women.

"They're there for men, but we know from research body image is a bigger piece of the self-worth puzzle for females than it is for males," he said.

May said the reason for this can usually be traced back to the media focusing on the female body, and its tendency of glorifying someone who is skinny and drawing negative attention to someone who is overweight.

Mark Sibicky, professor of psychology and director of the Master of Arts in Psychology program at Marietta College, said obese people are often stereotyped.

"Other people see obese people as lazy, self-indulgent ... basically that they lack will and control, which is not always true," he said.

Sibicky said the implicit association test, which is a reaction time test that measures people's attitudes toward a person, consistently shows that people are biased against obese individuals, even if they say they aren't.

Sibicky said even physicians show a bias against obese people on the test.

"This is important because primary care physicians often don't talk to their obese patients about weight management and good health," he said. "With their negative perceptions they think, 'it's not going to work anyway, so I'm not going to talk about it.'"

Sibicky said many people are also reluctant to show empathy toward obese individuals.

"If you tell someone alcoholism has to do with genetics, they tend to forgive the person," he said.

"This doesn't happen with obesity. Even if you tell someone a person has a genetic reason for obesity, they still keep a bias against them."