Obesity Facts

Obesity is a problem that is not taken seriously by most people. But did you ever wonder if those extra pounds classified you as just overweight or as obese? However, once you start to delve into a few obesity facts, you may be surprised to learn about the far reaching affects of obesity.

Today, obesity has escalated to twice the rate that had occurred in 1980. The truth is, of all the adults living in the US almost one third are obese! So, it is a high probability that you or somebody you know is a sufferer of obesity. Experts think that obesity may cause, for the first time in 200 years, our life expectancy to fall.

Today's young people will need to worry about getting sick and dying sooner if they continue to get obese. Don't forget that these extra health problems create a financial burden that society has to pay.

Obesity doesn't just apply to those who are too large to leave their houses. Someone who is over 20% of the "average" heaviness for their size, is judged as being obese. If you are supposed to weigh 135 pounds for your height, weighing 162 pounds means that you are grossly overweight.

There are more scientific ways to figure out if you are obese or just chubby. Throw away your weight tables and use you Body Mass Index or BMI to gauge your fat ratio. The term obesity applies to anyone with a BMI greater than 30.

The facts about children and obesity are some of the most shocking. The obesity rate for children and teens is rising rapidly due to kids spending more time watching TV and eating a wide variety of fattening snack that have no nutritional value. The medical community is seeing formerly adult-only problems occurring with greater frequency in our juvenile population. These serious health problems can be life-threatening, physically uncomfortable or painful, and of course, downright depressing. A child that is overweight will likely be overweight as an adult.

When adults are overweight they can encounter problems with their health to include sleep apnea, cancer, gall bladder disease, stroke and heart disease. Rising obesity-related health care costs diminish people's quality of life and their pocketbooks.

So with so many negative obesity facts, why is the rate still increasing? In today's hectic society, people often think that they do not have enough time to exercise and eat well. How many times this week did you eat a burger from a fast food establishment because you were short on time? The combination of more sedentary jobs and widespread under-consumption of fruits and vegetables has contributed to the epidemic of obesity in this country.

Obesity does not have to ruin your life; proper exercise and diet can overcome it. Today is as good a day as any to start. The only thing you have to lose is those extra pounds.