The News
First the good news: it appears that the obesity rate in the US has stalled. Now, of course, the bad news: the latest numbers still show that more than two-thirds of adults and almost a third of kids are overweight, with no sign of improvement. Not only are the vast majority of adults overweight, 34 percent are obese; and 17 percent of children are obese. Even the youngest Americans are affected — 10 percent of babies and toddlers are precariously heavy.
According to the American Heart Association, obesity is now recognized as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, a disease which is “eminently preventable”. Even when people have no genetic or environmental known risk factors, obesity by itself increases the risk of heart disease.
The heart association says obesity and other risk factors, like too little exercise and poor diet, are fueling the expected increase in health care costs associated with heart disease and stroke. "Current statistical data show Americans to be on average overweight, physically inactive and eating a diet that is too high in calories, sodium, fat and sugar," said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, head of the American Heart Association Statistics Committee.
According to the World Health Organization, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States and in most industrialized countries. So what are going to do about this and will our "war" on this problem look like?
LouAnn Good
Fitness Together Fort Myers
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