Currently more than 1 billion adults are overweight - and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. Current obesity levels range from below 5% in China, Japan and certain African nations, to over 75% in urban Samoa. But even in relatively low prevalence countries like China, rates are almost 20% in some cities.

From WHO Global Strategy for Diet and Physical Activity

NIH invested $378.6 million for obesity research in fiscal year 2003, will invest about $400.1 million in fiscal year 2004, and is projected to support obesity research amounting to about $440.3 million in fiscal year 2005, an increase of about 10 percent over 2004.

From NIH Releases Research Strategy to Fight Obesity Epidemic