IntroductionObesity is clinically defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2 and is the accumulation of excess adipose tissue1. It is currently considered an epidemic due to the increasingly high percentage of obese adults, with the incidence rapidly increasing in recent years. In the five-year period 1995-2000, an increase of 100 million obese individuals worldwide is expected 2. In the United Kingdom it is estimated that over 25% of adult males and females are obese and these figures are expected to increase continuously with estimates according to where 60% of adult men and 50% of adult women will be obese by 2025.3 As a huge burden on the NHS, it has been predicted that £5 billion a year will be spent on preventing and treating complications of excess weight in the national health system. UK, representing almost 5% of the total National Health Service budget (£5 billion/£108 billion).4 The cost of obesity on the National Health Service will increase to correlate with the increasing incidence illustrated. Obesity is a very complex condition as there are many physiological factors and psychological dimensions to it. The complications that accompany the disease are multiple and are associated with increased risk of many other medical conditions. We are believed to live in an obesogenic environment due to an interaction of environmental, developmental, and cultural influences. It is believed that the main cause of the disorder is due to the combination of a sedentary lifestyle accompanied by an increased consumption of poor quality foods with a high calorie and sugar content. The lack of energy expenditure could be explained by the fact that many individuals work large numbers of hours, almost every day of the week, in jobs that require minimal physical activity and it is often difficult to complete the recommended…half of paper... ....understanding the diversity of individuals. Viewing obesity as a disability may be inappropriate in circumstances where some are still able to function at an acceptable level, but may be appropriate in cases where they are unable to cope. This is establishing the transition point where obesity actually causes significant disability. The aim of the healthcare team should be to prevent the development of these disorders caused by obesity by trying to avoid further deterioration of the patient's health. This will mean trying to ensure that people prone to excessive weight gain are educated and supported to prevent them from becoming obese. This can be done through motivational interviewing and proper education along with the right resources available and the result will be that some individuals will not progress to the stage of becoming disabled.