Obesity

katec@herald-mail.com "I've always been a big person," says Richard LaVelle of Boonsboro. An eight-pounder at birth, he weighed 75 pounds at age 4, 275 in eighth grade, and 340 pounds when he graduated from high school. LaVelle, 25 years old, is tall - 6-feet-7-inches tall. The last time he was weighed, he tipped the scales at 600 pounds. He's tried to lose weight - many, many times - in different ways, including dieting and diet medications. After graduating from college, LaVelle got a job as a security guard in Oct. 1999.

So, what's the skinny on the first federal obesity guidelines released last month by National Institutes of Health? They provide a new way for doctors to identify, evaluate and treat individuals who are overweight or obese - 97 million American adults, 55 percent of the population. And it's not just about appearance. --cont from lifestyle -- Those 97 million Americans are at increased risk of illness from hypertension (high blood pressure)