Archive for category Obesity
Child Obesity Epidemic
The greatest injustice with regard to health is the issue of adult irresponsibility of innocent children’s dietary habits. It is no secret that obesity among children has emerged as a major health issue.
In 1998 at a U.S. Department of Agriculture meeting on the causes and prevention of obesity of children, then, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher stated, “Childhood obesity is at epidemic levels in the United States. We have been remiss in shedding light on this problem.”
Yet, little has been done to educate parents and childcare workers on proper nutrition. To the contrary more commercials and promotions to eat ‘fast food,’ high carbohydrate foods and commercials for ‘big is beautiful’ are blasted every twenty minutes on the TV programs children watch.
Surgeon General, Richard Carmona, stated, “Because of the increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity, we may see the first generation that will be less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.”
Nearly one in three children is overweight or obese. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimated that nearly 17% of children age 2 – 19 years are obese. According to the Childhood Obesity Foundation in Canada, over 25% of the children are considered overweight or obese. Alarmingly, there is no great concern. No elected official, medical professional or childcare organization has sounded the alarm. The United States has more obesity than any other country.
Children are developing obesity-related chronic diseases that were previously prevalent among adults. Such as Type-2 diabetes, poor glucose and insulin metabolism, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart disease, inflammation, sleep apnea, asthma, allergies, orthopedic complications and negative psychosocial effects and stigma.
Many children are diagnosed with a combination of several conditions known as metabolic syndrome. A study at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine and Children’s Mercy Hospital revealed that obese children between the age of 6 to 19 (average 13) had arterial wall thickness (Plaque buildup) of that of a person three decades older. Read the rest of this entry »
Obesity Can Kill
Obesity – there, I’ve said it! Most of you, I’m sure, have given this ugly word a thought or two, especially in light of our most recent holiday season. I believe it’s time to give it a little more than just a thought and, more importantly, start to seriously consider acting on these thoughts before this word becomes a serious detriment to your health! Obesity is fast becoming an epidemic in this country as the numbers below will demonstrate. And please don’t make the mistake of assuming that it’s just a cosmetic issue. Far from it. As you will see, obesity can have a drastic effect on your life, in all the wrong ways. Frankly, it can kill. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, there are nearly 100 million Americans – including 40 million Baby Boomers – who are overweight or even obese, and therefore, face risks of various chronic diseases in addition to potential muscular-skeletal problems. This, in spite of the fact that we are supposedly the generation that is the savviest in terms of exercise and good eating habits! Did you know, for example, that between the ages of 30-39, 47% of women in the USA are considered either overweight/obese. And just in case you guys though I forgot about you, between the ages of 50-59, 73% of us are overweight/obese! These are not insignificant numbers!
But what is obesity? Well, I’m glad you asked. There is a handy formula to help us calculate whether our middle-age spread is going, or has gone, too far. It is called the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared, then multiplying by 704.5.A desirable BMI is 21. Overweight begins at 25 and obesity is 30 or higher.
The medical implications of this are many. Large clinical studies link obesity to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis and some cancers. Yes, I said cancer. The American Heart Association has recently reclassified obesity upward to a major risk factor for a heart attack.
Anyone who has gained more than 25 pounds since age 18 should seriously consider seeing a primary care physician. And please do this before you start an exercise program. You could well be on the road to diabetes or have signs of impending coronary artery disease and not know it. Only a thorough medical check-up will tell you whether you are developing any of these conditions. So while you should be lauded for wanting to adjust your lifestyle to combat this problem, get a check-up first to make sure you can follow-thru with these admirable desires safely! Read the rest of this entry »