Overweight and Obesity are Preventable

Overweight & Obesity

Overweight and obesity has become an widespread epidemic in the United States among adults and children and is now affecting other countries as well. Every time you turn on the TV or surf the internet you hear more about it and the havoc it has on the health of our society. obesity

It is projected by health professionals that an estimated 1.6 billion adults are overweight and 400 million are obese and at extreme risk for developing life threatening diseases. The even scary news is that our youth population are becoming less physically active and are not following a healthy diet plan. 20 million children under the age of 5 years in 2005 were considered to have a weight related issue. Today, the numbers are increasing at a very rapid pace!

Just what exactly are the classifications of someone who is at risk? They both relate to excessive weight that an individual carries putting them at a higher risk of developing disease and health complications. Health professionals often use a common scale referred to as the Body Mass Index (BMI) to measure one's risk. This tool is the most universal and quick method of assessment of this increasing epidemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies a person with a BMI of 25 or greater to be overweight while a person with a BMI of 30 or greater is considered to obese. There are 3 more classifications of but anything equal to or greater than 40 BMI is considered to be morbidly obese. This condition is likely to cause death and should be action should be taken immediately. The most critical part of this disease is the visceral or "belly fat" around the midsection as this fat is surrounds the most vital organs in the body hindering them to perform at their best.

What Are the Causes?

There are several reasons that we gain excessive amounts of weight but the most definite one is lack of energy balance. Energy balance is the ability to maintain a healthy weight (calories in vs. calories out) and when we are not physically active enough to burn off the calories consumed throughout our day and we gain weight and belly fat! Other causes include a diet full of energy dense, high fat, sugars, and low in fiber, whole grains, and other beneficial nutrients. Because of the turn in decreased need to be physical active to perform basic daily functions, our lifestyles are becoming ever-so sedentary. Portion distortion is also a leading cause of the weight issues we are experiencing in our communities.

belly fat

Common Risk Factors and Health Complications Found

Overweight and obesity are lifestyle related and are highly preventable yet millions of people are suffering the risk factors due to them. Some of the most life-threatening complications due because of it include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, as well as several types of cancers. With the increased risk among children developing also becoming less active and gaining significant amounts of weight, we are setting them up for an even better chance of developing these diseases at an earlier stage in life and even premature death. We are creating a generation of children who are more likely to have a shorter life span than their parents.

Something has to be done so I encourage you as a parent, sister, or friend to live a more active lifestyle, promote this among your kids, and create an environment where eating healthy and being active is the norm.

Understanding the Glycemic Index

Glycemic Index- GI has grown in popularity in recent years. It is a ranking of foods on how they affect blood glucose levels and is one of the most fundamental medical findings with implications in health, weight loss, fitness and disease management.

For more information about what you can do to prevent and/or reduce this epidemic, I highly recommend you look into these incredible sites.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Centers of Disease Control

American Heart Association

Kidshealth.org