Weight Loss Monthly Newsletter
January, 2007
With featured articles on weight loss, diet reviews, what the latest weight loss programs are, concerns and information on obesity, and interviews with doctors, dieticians, and weight loss specialists.
How Big Of A Problem Is Obesity In America?
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBNObesity in America: A Growing Epidemic
Obesity is a serious issue in the United States. In fact, many experts believe it has become a nationwide epidemic. The incidence of obesity among American adults has increased dramatically in recent years. For instance, in 1991, only 12% of adults were obese. But by the year 2001, almost 21 percent of American adults were obese. This indicates an increase of 75%. Because this data is based on self-reported height and weight information, it’s likely that the nation’s true obesity rates are even higher.In 1999, a study performed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, found that approximately 30% of American adults are obese and an additional 34% are considered overweight. According to these estimates, only 35% of American adults are at or below a healthy weight.
The number of Americans who are morbidly obese is also growing at an alarming rate. Morbid obesity is defined as being one hundred pounds or more overweight. According to the latest research, about one man in eighty weighs more than 300 pounds. This represents a 50% increase from 1996 to 2000. This research also shows that one in two hundred women in the United States weighs more than 300 pounds, representing a 67% increase over the same time period.
Obesity In America: Who Is Affected?
No region in the nation is immune to the obesity epidemic. There is no region, sex, age group, race, socioeconomic group, or state that has remained unaffected by the increase in obesity. Adult obesity has risen in every state in the nation over the last ten years. In the year 2000, twenty-two states had rates of obesity of 20% or greater than those in 1991. The states with the highest rates of obese residents include Mississippi (24%), Louisiana (23%), and West Virginia (23%).Between the genders, men are more likely than women to be overweight. However, women are more likely to be obese. And for both men and women, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with age. Yet, over the past ten years, the sharpest rise in rates of overweight and obesity occurred among adults, ages 18 through 29.
Racial and ethnic minorities generally have higher rates of obesity than do whites in the United States. Recent research shows that almost 30% of African Americans, 25% of Hispanics, and 18% of White adults are obese. Gender disparities are also present within racial groups. African American and Mexican American women are more likely to be overweight and obese than the men of the same racial groups.
Socioeconomic status also plays a role in the prevalence of obesity and overweight Americans. For all racial and ethnic groups, women with an income that falls below the federal poverty level are 50% more likely to be obese than those with higher incomes. On the other hand, men are about equally likely to be obese, regardless of their financial status.
Studies have shown that the obesity epidemic has hit our children the hardest. Over the past two decades, the percentage of overweight children between the ages six through eleven has more than doubled. For adolescents aged twelve through nineteen, this same figure has almost tripled.
Obesity In America: Can Americans Slim Down?
Obesity contributes to serious medical, development, and emotional illnesses that can affect the life and death of millions of Americans. The relationship between weight and one’s health has been a major factor in drawing national attention to the alarming problem of obesity in America. As the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, obesity claims approximately 300,000 lives each year.Obesity is linked to such medical conditions as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, asthma, arthritis, menstrual dysfunction, and with some forms of cancer, such as uterine, gall bladder, breast, colon, and kidney. Psychological disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety can also be attributed to obesity.
So what can Americans do to slim down? Proper nutrition and daily exercise are critical to maintaining a healthy weight. However, in today’s fast paced environment it can be difficult to always make the choices that are right for our waistline. For those affected by obesity and weight control issues, it’s a good idea to obtain the nutritional support of a high quality weight loss supplement, such as Slimirex™, for help in achieving weight loss goals. Slimirex™ combines nine excellent weight loss supplements into one product. It works to boost the metabolism, control the appetite, increase energy levels, and build lean muscle mass, making weight loss success a reality.