In high school you could scarf down burgers and pizza and still be thin as a rail. Once you get into your 20s, your metabolism slows down.

Society may say only women should worry about their weight, but men are just as often concerned about that spare tire.

Being overweight brings a host of potentially serious health problems. Is your cholesterol increasing? Your blood pressure rising? Are you becoming diabetic? A doctor can check. And being overweight can have side effects that you don't expect, like having trouble sleeping.

Your doctor can outline a diet and exercise routine that will get your weight in line, as well as check and see whether you're one of the few who might be an appropriate candidate for gastric-bypass surgery.