A recent study by Wang et al, concluded that the Obesity rate in America has been increasing at an alarming rate of 0.2% to 0.8% annually over the past three decades. If this trend continues, by the year 2015, 75% of adults and almost 24% of American children and adolescents will be overweight or obese.
If this is not a reason for you to start moving and change your eating habits, consider the fact that if you put on 11-18 pounds your risk of developing type 2 diabetes double!
What these researchers have found should not be a surprise. Just look around the office, school yard, and shopping mall – the majority of people you see likely fit into the overweight/obese category. So stating numbers and statistics is not really what is important here. What is important is what we do to put a stop to this ungodly trend. It is not cool to be fat.
Abs…or Fast Food? Which would you prefer to have?
Health (and other) consequences of being obese/overweight:
(Source: The Surgeon General)
-- Premature death: It is estimated that 300,000 deaths per year in the USA are attributable to obesity. The more you weigh, the greater the risk. If your BMI is greater than 30 you have a 50-100% higher risk of premature death compared to a person with a healthy weight.
-- Heart disease: The incidence of heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina and abnormal heart rhythm is greater for people whose BMI is above 25.
-- Hypertension: An obese person has twice the risk of having high blood pressure compared to someone of normal weight.
-- Cholesterol/Blood fat: If you are obese your levels of blood fat will be higher and your levels of HDL (good cholesterol) will be lower than those of a person of normal weight.
-- Diabetes: If you put on 11-18 pounds your risk of developing diabetes type 2 are double, compared to a person who has not gained weight. More than 80% of people with diabetes are overweight/obese.
-- Cancer: A person who is overweight/obese has a higher risk of developing the following cancers: colon, gall bladder, kidney, prostate, post-menopausal breast cancer.
-- Sleep apnea: A much higher percentage of obese people suffer from interrupted breathing while sleeping than people of normal weight.
-- Arthritis: Your risk of developing arthritis goes up 9-13% for every 2-pounds of fat you put on.
-- Pregnancy: If the pregnant mother is obese the risk of her or her baby dying is much greater, compared to a pregnant mother whose weight is normal - the risk of maternal high blood pressure is ten times higher. Obese mothers are more likely to have problems with labor and delivery. The risk of developing gestational diabetes is much higher if the woman is obese. Obese pregnant women are at a higher risk of giving birth to babies with birth defects, such as spina bifida.
-- Limited Shopping Options: Let’s face it, obese women will not be sporting the “Skinny Jean” this summer, or any season for that matter.
-- Expensive Travel: Obese/overweight persons are often required to purchase two seats on a flight.
