Extreme Obesity Not Necessarily a Disability Under ADA, Says Seventh Circuit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently held that extreme obesity is not an actionable “impairment” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) unless caused by an underlying physiological disorder or condition. Interpreting the ADA otherwise, the court reasoned, would result in all obese individuals (nearly 40% of the American adult population) automatically having an impairment under the ADA. Though this was issue of first impression in the Seventh Circuit, the court ultimately agreed with the Second, Sixth, and Eighth Circuits, which had previously ruled on the issue.