<qa>  What is the most common cause of preventable death?Sixty-four percent of American adults are overweight or obese. Excess weight will soon surpass smoking as the most common cause of preventable death. Despite the well-known health consequences of obesity, little is known about the specific effects of obesity in critically ill individuals. There are significant differences in ventilator management procedures among obese and non-obese individuals in an ICU. The long-term effect of these differences, however, has not been studied. Preliminary research has shown that differences in the mechanical ventilation process may be responsible for worse outcomes in obese individuals, as compared to non-obese individuals. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of obesity on ventilator management processes and medical outcomes in individuals in an ICU. The study will also identify any increased risks for the critically ill obese and the causes of their augmented mortality and morbidity levels. 