An estimated 97 million people in the United States are overweight or obese, and therefore have an increased risk for a number of other obesity-related co-morbid conditions (such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and Type 2 Diabetes) as well as for all-cause mortality. The total cost attributable to obesity amounted to $99.2 billion in the US in 1995 and this figure, like the prevalence of increased body mass, is rising at an alarming rate. At the same time calcium intake in the US adult population is far below the RDA (recommended daily allowance) and much below the daily optimal calcium intake recommended by the 1994 NIH consensus conference. An analysis of the NHANES III database suggests a strong inverse association between relative risk of obesity and calcium intake. Further, both prospective studies in animal models, and retrospective analyses of human studies suggest calcium supplementation may play a role in minimizing yearly weight gain, and may possibly induce small weight losses.